BATMAN BEYOND: DEATH STALKS US ALL
by Comics Girl
Summary: During a case on Derek PowersBlight a mercenary has shown up in Gotham to destroy the evidence and may take Batman along with them. Terry and Max come up with a plan of their own! Updated Finally, Jan 2!
1. The first day

Hey how are you? This is my very first Batman Beyond fanfic ever! I'm so excited about it. I hear by pledge to update regularly until the story is finished. I can't stand when someone starts a fic and doesn't bother to finish it. That's just cruel and unusual punishment. I won't name any names but you know who you are. If I ever leave my stories for more than a week I will make sure to let you guys know what's going on and when the story will be updated next.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the batman characters they belong to DC comics and Warner Bros. I'm just barrowing them for my own little fantasy.  
  
The villain is my own character and the story line is, as far as I can tell, original.  
  
Well, enough talk and on with the shooo. Please review. Please, please, please, please etc... enjoy.   
  
CHAPTER ONE  
  
Batman Beyond: Death Stalks Us All  
  
A chill ran through the air that late autumn day. It was the kind of day where everything was going wrong. The day started out as any other Friday did. Terry woke late that morning and was in a rush to get to school.

"Morning mom," he said as he passed the kitchen on his way to the door, "see ya twip."

"Terr don't forget, there's a meeting with your teacher tonight so don't be late," said his mother to his retreating form.

"How could I forget?" he mumbled to himself as he ran down the stairs to his bike.

He made it into his classroom just as the bell rang and he gave a relieved sigh as he sat down. "Well, Mr. McGinnis, on time today are we. I hope you can make it a habit," stated his teacher before he started the day's lesson.

"Nice timing Terry," said Max as he pulled his books from his bag and began his ritual of fighting sleep.

"First good thing that's happened this week," he told her. The rest of his day was pretty uneventful except for the occasional rude awakening in class and breaking up a bunch of troublemaking Jokerz.

After school he went right to work. The case that he had been working on was that the latest crime spree of stolen chemicals had some witnesses that could prove that the thefts had been committed by Powers and they could testify along with the evidence left at various crime scenes and prove that Powers was Blight.

After interrogation by both Batman and the commissioner, the remaining witnesses were put into a safe house along Park Row. Within the last two days there had been threats made against the witnesses and there had been break-ins at the police evidence lock ups and evidence for the case had been gradually disappearing.

Neither Bruce nor the commissioner had a clue as to who it could be but what everyone did know who hired that person. Powers. Terry had been out on patrol late every night to see if he could intercept possible theft attempts but so far he had had no luck.

It was his third trip around the outside of the only evidence lock up that hadn't been broken into when he landed on a close rooftop and called Bruce. "Hey, old man are you still with me?" he called.

"See anything?" he said not bothering to reply to the question.

"No, that's the problem, I've been around here for two hours and nothings happened. I do have an appointment I can't be late for in about an hour," he said to his counterpart.

"Sit tight something's bound to happen soon. It's almost the same time that the other lockups had been broken into."

"I still don't..." he then noticed a figure going through the roof of the building, "hold on, I think I've spotted our party crasher. Batman out." He then leapt off of the roof and dove at the spot on the roof that the person went through.

He turned on his stealth mode and went quietly along the roof until he saw the thief's entrance point. Keeping quiet he went through the open door. "Careful McGinnis," cautioned Bruce in his ear.

"Would it kill you to call me by my first name?" asked Terry. Of course, there was no response. He quietly walked along the empty corridor and made his way to evidence lock up. As he entered the room all he saw was the guard on the floor and the gate to the evidence shelves was left open. He went over to the guard and found that he had been killed. He deactivated the stealth mode and put his hand to his ear,

"He's dead. I didn't make it in time." He then stood up to go check the room for clues when he heard some one behind him. He turned expecting to see another guard but was startled to see a huge man in a black suit and mask.

The mask was made to look like a skull with a hood over it and the eyes were glowing red. His belt was silver chain with a silver belt clasp also in the form of a skull. His only visible weapon was what appeared to be a telescoping staff. "I was hoping to meet you before my job was finished," he said to Batman as he walked closer and stopped six feet away.

"Well you've got me, the question is can you handle me?" Terry said trying to make light of the situation. He had no idea who this guy was or what he could do.

"Hahahahahaha," The man laughed in a calm manner that unnerved Terry a little. "You have no idea who you're talking to but I wouldn't suppose you would. I try to keep a very low profile. Take your best shot," he said calmly.

Batman hesitated for a second before he gave into his compulsion to slag the guy. He lunged at him only to find that he was swinging at open air. Then he felt a slice of pain across his arm. When he stopped he turned around to see the man standing where he, himself had been moments before.

The only thing that was different was that his staff now had a curved laser on the end to make it look like a sai blade that belonged to the grim reaper. Upon seeing this along with the shock of how fast the guy was his eyes went as wide as saucers.

"Pity from your reputation I had expected you to be much faster," he said as he began to leave the stunned Batman. "I am afraid that I cannot test your skills farther, but I am on a dead line. I will leave you with this though. Be warry for Death stalks all and cannot be stopped," he said in a voice dipped in venom as he disappeared into the shadows.

The second he disappeared Batman ran to the door and started to look for the man but he was nowhere to be seen. "Bruce did you get that?" asked Terry.

"Yes, come back to the cave and we'll discuss this."

"Sorry, but I have to be somewhere. I'll come as soon as I can but not till after my appointment." He then turned off the link and headed to his school and the inevitable tirade over his behavior in school. Forty-five minutes after the meeting started Terry walked into the Bat cave.

"How did it go?" asked Bruce from his place at the computer.

"Great." Terry stepped up to the old man's side and stared at the computer screen. "Were you able to make anything out of his message?"

"His name is Death," Bruce said as he pulled up a window on the screen. "He's one of the worlds most wanted mercinaries. He is reported to have been in business for over ten years and he's never even come close to being caught."

Terry let out a long whistle as Bruce brought up all of the cases that were thought to have been committed by Death, "He gets around doesn't he? And I guess that's where I step in."


	2. Rooftop Brawl

Thanks soo much for the review. Here's the non smooshed chapter two. here's where it starts to get interesting. Mwahahahahaha!! (turns to her glowing computer screen in her mysteriously dark room, pushes her glasses up on her nose and begins the next chapter.)

CHAPTER TWO

That night on the top of the penthouse apartments that the police used for safe houses the commissioner had called a meeting. The commissioner had called up the witnesses to the crimes done by Powers/Blight to discuss the new danger to them from Death. To his surprise the dark night was also called up to the meeting. The commissioner had called them all to discuss the situation regarding the appearance of a professional mercinary called Death.

When Batman reached the roof, the commissioner and a squad of police, were already stationed there. He touched down in the shadows and activated his cloak and made his way towards the crowd. He heard the commissioner speaking already so he kept quiet and made his way toward the group.

"The reason that I have gathered you all here is the fact that..." the commissioner stopped in mid sentence and turned to look at the concealed batman and pointed at him.

Batman thought that she was going to tell him to come towards them so he started to move closer only to be caught off guard when from her hand came a small strip of metal flying at him. He almost didn't see it and therefore wasn't able to dodge it fast enough. The strip hit him in the thigh and went right through the suit to embed itself in his leg. He didn't know it had hit him until the hidden barbs on the strip extended in all directions in his leg. The pain fazed him for only a minute as he landed on the roof in a crouch and turned off his cloaking device.

The spectators all gasped at the appearance of Batman but the commissioner just started to laugh and as she laughed her voice became deeper and her body began to become hazy and grow larger as the projection disappeared to reveal the true person behind the laugh. At the same time the squad of police dissipated, as they were also holograms. The witnesses all started to scream at the realization that this was a trap.

The laughter was revealed to be coming from Death. Batman just gazed at the villain in disdain over his own stupidity to have not realized a trap when he stumbled into one. He then stood and faced Death raising a hand to his ear. "Call Gordon and t...Arrrgggghhhhh!!" Batman screamed as he fell to his side and grabbed at his leg where the metal had pierced his suit.

"Now, now, no telling," mocked Death. He had hit a button on the palm of his hand that caused the strip of metal to give off an electric surge through Batman's body. "Again you disappoint me Batman. You did not take my warning to heart and it may well cost you your life," said the now revealed Death.

Batman, as soon as the pain stopped, reached for the metal strip but found that it had embedded itself under the surface and he cursed it under his breath.

"Don't worry Batman, you will find that you will not be able to remove that device from your leg. It was set at the exact pressure to embed itself an inch beneath the surface of you limb. It also has anchors witch I assume you have already felt extend into the tissue of your leg. Each is two inches long to prevent anything from pulling it out without tearing the flesh to shreds," stated Death as he began to walk towards the fallen vigilante.

As Death moved all of the people on the roof began to scatter. Some went as far away on the roof as possible and hid behind ventilation housings while others ran for the roof access door. Only one had made it to the door for they had been seen by Death. He shot a laser at them from his staff at eye level just in front of the man. "You, over there with the rest of the cowering lot on the other side of the roof," he said motioning with his sickle.

Batman saw this distraction and used it to call Bruce again and turn on the vid link in his cowl. He brought his lower hand to his ear and spoke very quietly. "Bruce, can you hear me?"

"McGinnis! What happened?" came the response.

"I'm at the safe house for the Powers case witnesses. Call the commissioner. I need back up," Terry whispered into the night. Batman then saw that the person that Death had just shot at wasn't moving away from the door casing. He then looked at Death to see that he was just about to swing his weapon at the man.

Just as Death's hand started to swing his blade Batman threw a batarang that hit Death's wrist and made him miss his target and hit the wall just to the side of the petrified man. Death turned his attention from the man to the bat on the floor. He then turned a knob on the top of his other wrist and once again clenched his fist on the button located on his palm.

Batman screeched in agony as a fresh electrical surge coursed through his body. The shock was of more voltage than the last and his body writhed in the current from the device in his leg.

As Batman writhed on the ground Death just stared at him menacingly and after a good twenty seconds he released the button on his palm, letting Batman lie on the ground in helplessness. "That is what will happen every time you decide to interfere with my actions."  
  
Back in the Bat cave:

"McGinnis!" Bruce yelled as he heard Terry scream through the com link. "McGinnis, can you hear me?!"

All he got in response was the constant scream of his protégé in agony. After an unbearably long time the screams stopped and all Bruce could hear was heavy breathing from Terry.

Bruce then turned to his left and called Barb. After three rings and some inaudible curses from Bruce, Barb picked up the call. "Commissioner Gordon... oh, Bruce it's you," Barb started but was cut off from saying any more.

"Barb, you need to get to your police safe house on Park Row NOW! McGinnis is down and the witnesses are in danger." Bruce told the commissioner in his emotionless tone but his eyes showed that he feared the worst for Terry if he didn't get assistance soon.

"Alright, tell him that we'll be there in 10 minutes. Gordon out." She said before she disconnected.

Bruce turned back to the main screen to see that Death had once again turned his attention back to the hostages. He was slowly making his way over to the group of frightened people with his blade in hand, which he had dropped when the batarang caught his wrist.

"McGinnis can you hear me?" Batman heard in his ear and moaned at the pain as he began to move.

"Yeah?" he rasped weekly into his communicator.

"McGinnis, the commissioner will be there in ten minutes. Can you get up to help the hostages until then?" asked Bruce.

"Only ten?" Batman chuckled to himself. "I think I can help but I don't know for how long I'll be of use." 'As soon as he sees me up he'll zap me again and I'll be down.' There was a pause as Batman thought of something to keep the guy occupied for the ten minutes that the police would need to arrive. "Tell the commissioner to hurry." He said to Bruce with a hint of uncertainty as he attempted to rise. He then turned off his link, as he didn't need any distractions.

He then rose shakily to his feet pushing down the urge to groan as he went. He looked over to see where Death had gone and didn't like what he saw. Death was closing in on his hostages. "Hey, grim reaper!" Batman yelled as he turned on his boot thrusters and charged at Death.

Just as Death turned around Batman plowed into him and sent him flying across the roof. "Get out of here!" He yelled to the hostages and they ran. Batman then flew off again to try to catch Death off guard before he could activate another electrical surge.

He was just ready to punch Death in the face when Death clenched his fist and activated the device again. Death then punched Batman in the stomach and hit him again in the chin. Death then grabbed Batman by the shoulders and brought him down hard onto his knee. There was an audible crack as the connection between knee and chest broke ribs.

Death repeated this move several times over and when he was satisfied that to even breath Batman would be in agony he threw him towards the edge of the roof. Batman skidded and bounced and finally came to a stop. As Batman tried to stand up death brought up his blade and caught Batman across the chest and it threw him to the edge of the roof. Batman rolled to his stomach and tried to prop himself up on his hands and knees only to fall to his elbows.

He then painfully coughed up some blood and spat it at the roof. Death walked over to the crumpled bat and pulled him up by the front of his costume to stare at him in the face. "You just don't know when to stay down do you?" Death then proceeded to shock Batman once again.

As the screams stopped he pulled back his clenched fist ready to hit Batman again but was interrupted by sirens and a searchlight flashed onto his form. "Well Batman it seems that our fun will have to be cut short, of course, my parting gift still has surprises for you," said Death as he pressed the button once again and hit Batman across the face and knocked him off of the roof.

As Batman fell he activated his thrusters through the agony of the electricity surging through him and stopped his downward fall by changing direction. Unable to control himself any more he went through a billboard, which dislocated his shoulder, and landed on a roof. He skidded and bounced over the edge and snagged a clothesline with his foot and started to spin towards the ground and land in a pile of trashcans. As he hit he lost consciousness and there was a trickle of blood coming from the corner of his mouth.

ooh, cliffy. is it a good one? doesn't it just make you want more?next chapter coming soon!


	3. A peak at Death Batman MIA

CHAPTER THREE Back on the roof:  
  
In the helicopter Barbara Gordon couldn't believe what she had just seen. Her and her team had just made it to the scene when she saw Batman go flying off of the roof of the building and was ready to shoot the person responsible.

Though she didn't worry for too long because she caught sight of Batman's boot thrusters kick in. She then saw the figure that had done this. It was Death the international hit man. Bruce had only finished briefing her on this guy an hour and a half ago. She picked up the megaphone as she leveled her weapon. She spoke into the megaphone, "Put your hands up wear we can see them and surrender." She said this even though she knew it was pointless.

As she expected he just turned and began to run towards the opposite side of the roof. But she didn't expect him to jump off of it. She told her pilot to circle around and find him but when they reached the other side of the building he was gone and she silently cursed herself for not getting there sooner.

'Oh well, since the kid was able to fly away I guess I'll just have to find out what happened from him. After I talk to the witnesses' Barbara thought to herself.  
  
In the Bat cave:  
  
Just as Bruce was going to ask what Terry meant by the tone in his voice Terry cut the audio link to his suit. "McGinnis!" Bruce tried in vain to get McGinnis to answer him but to no avail. All Bruce could do was watch as Terry tried to get the hostages to safety by distracting Death.

After Terry was thrown to the side of the roof the visual link was cut off. Bruce then started to look for other frequencies to which he could access the video link but came up with nothing. "The transceivers in the head set must be damaged." He said to himself. He then turned on the system which tracks the suit but that came up with nothing as well. 'Perfect'.  
  
Some where in Gotham:  
  
Half an hour after the confrontation on the rooftop Death had entered one of Derek Powers' abandon factories and entered the old supervisors office. He took a seat in the high back leather chair and turned to the computer console. He flicked on a switch and dialed a number and waited.

A moment later a face appeared on the screen in front of him. The face belonged to that of Derek Powers, his employer. "How did it go, were you successful?" asked Powers.

"No, a distraction forced its way onto the scene and prevented me from accomplishing the main directive," stated Death calmly.

"Let me guess," seethed the man on the screen in building rage, "Batman reared his pointy eared head."

"Yes," stated Death. As he watched he saw Powers skin begin to peel to reveal a glowing green. This interested Death. "Do not worry he will not be causing us any more trouble."

As the peeling continued a ghastly grin was taking place of the anger. "Were you able to terminate him?" came the malice filled question.

"Not to any degree of certainty. I was interrupted before I could end it but if he is still around he will not be in fighting form for months."

The smile on Powers face became a scowl that threatened to swallow him whole. "Don't be so sure, he'll probably be back and on our trail before you know it. He has a nasty habit of recovering quickly." Soon all of the fake skin that Powers used was gone from his face.

Death straightened in his chair and looked intently at the screen, "If he does interfere with my objectives again you can be guaranteed that he will be disposed of. He did not appear to be much of a threat."

"Good. How soon can you be ready to go for the witnesses again?"

"I'll try again in two days when the police have had a chance to settle down and the locations of all the witnesses is confirmed. I pride myself on efficiency."

"That's why I hired you. Don't fail me," the last statement was said as a warning. Then the screen blanked out and Death leaned back in his chair.

Contrary to what he had told his employer the Batman had been a challenge. He had only come across one other who could measure up to that kind of skill. Curare.

He thought a moment about the events of the past. He was the greatest out of the society of assassins. Even the founding members were afraid of him. He chuckled to himself at the thought of the fear hidden on the faces of the council whenever they called him for a job.

After he was tired of the thrill of being the best in the Society he moved on to better prospects. The council had objected to his decision of course but were to afraid voice their opinions.

After five years of making his infamous name even more so into the most feared man alive he heard of the newest member of the assassin's elite. Curare had interested him with her skills and her talent, the same way Batman's had although his was just raw untrained talent, where Curare had honed her abilities. He had toyed with the idea of going against her to test her skill but the opportune time hadn't come yet.

He then caught word that Curare had failed a mission because of the intervention of Batman. He had wondered about this for a little while before he received a call. It was from the society. They offered a large sum of money to him if he would get rid of Curare.

He accepted of course but only if the money was paid in advance. The deal was made and he set to work. A day later he received word that Curare had killed all of the council members. He didn't much care though he was impressed by her swiftness.

Four days later though he had caught up to her in Arizona and faced off against her. She was formidable in many ways but was eventually struck down by Death. He then turned his sights back to increasing his power in the under world.

Then one week ago he got a request from trillionaire Derek Powers. He had accepted the job and set out to complete it. It had been an easy job until Batman showed up. Now he wasn't sure. If he had have missed the Dark Knight with his disrupter he may have well been the one to a beating, but such was not the case. It had almost been a shame to drive down the Dark Knight. Pity, he could have made a fine student. But things turn out as they will and there just simply never was the chance to capture the Bat for training and conditioning. 'Oh well, back to the task at hand.'  
  
Four Hours Later:  
  
"Finally the interrogations are over," Barbara sighed to herself as she stepped into her car. "Now, I can go find out what they now about this." Commissioner Gordon went straight to Bruce's Manor.

When she got there she expected to see Ace come running to her but as she went up to the doors there wasn't so much as a bark but she did see McGinnis's bike out front. A thought struck her as she entered the house. She figured that Terry must have been injured and it was just taking a while to patch him up.

She went straight for the cave hidden behind the clock. As soon as she entered the cave she called out to the suspected occupants, "Bruce, Terry? It's me Barb."

"He's not here," came a low response from the dark. Barb looked over to the computer to find a furiously typing Bruce sitting in the control seat.

"What do you mean, he's not here?" Barb asked Bruce. "I didn't think that he had gone home yet because his bike is still outside."

"He hasn't come back yet," said Bruce. "I've been trying to locate him for hours. I lost contact with him during that fight Death. The video and audio links are inoperable and the suits tracking device isn't operational. I had hopped that you would have known what happened to him."

"The last I saw was he had been knocked off of the roof but I didn't worry to much because I saw him use his thrusters to fly away from the building." She said back to him. "I came here in hopes that you two would be able to tell me what had happened on the roof with that hit man. Where's the Batmobile? Shouldn't it have come back by now?"

"It did. I called Terry's friend Max when he didn't come back with it and I sent her out in it to look for him." Bruce replied just as the Batmobile came flying into the hanger.

As Max jumped out of the car she saw the commissioner with Bruce at the computer and was hopeful that she knew where Terry was. Those hopes were only to be dashed when the commissioner asked, "Did you find Terry?"

"No, I didn't. Wayne were you able to find anything on the computer?" asked Max.

"No."

A/N: what do you think of Death's character. I'll go into more detail on him in later chapters. How do you like the story so far? Please review and ask any other BB fans if they'd read and review my story as well I love getting feed back and your suggestions give me new ideas. I'll update the next chapter soon. Bye!


	4. The frantic search for a loved one

Hey peeps. Sorry for the delay but the weekend was a hectic mess and there just wasn't time to upload more chapters so here it is. Don't worry, I WILL NEVER ABANDON A STORY THAT I HAVE STARTED NO MATTER HOW FEW REVIEWS I RECEIVE. Now that that is cleared up, here is the chapter.  
  
CHAPTER FOUR  
  
Getting out of the Batmobile, which she never in her life thought she would ever be able to drive while Mr. Wayne was still alive, Max's heart skipped a beat at seeing the commissioner/batgirl hoping that she knew where Terry was. She hoped beyond hope that her boyfriend was all right.

Boyfriend. It still sounded weird to her. True, they had been going out for a couple of months, but it still, she wasn't used to it. It, also didn't sound right to define their relationship. They were so much closer to one another than just boyfriend or girlfriend.

When Mr. Wayne had called her to the mansion and finally let her into the cave she was ecstatic and thought that Terry had finally persuaded the old man to give her a chance. But when she had arrived she had learned the more urgent reason for her introduction to the Batcave.

She was a petrified statue for the first minute of Bruce telling her about what he wanted her to do. So now to see former Batgirl in the cave after her flight her hopes were soaring, until. Until. Things never turn out the way you hope.

"Did you find Terry?" as soon as she heard the question her hopes came crashing down and she almost broke into tears but that wasn't her style. So she composed herself and said she didn't and asked Bruce but she already knew the answer because he would have told her over the communicator.

"No" was her answer. That one syllable frustrated her to no end because it meant that Terry must be in tremendous trouble and there wasn't a blessed thing she could do about it until they found him. She turned around and headed back for the 'car' intent on continuing the search. She was stopped by Bruce.

"Where are you going?" She turned to the man sitting at the computer console. He hadn't even looked at her to know she had moved.

"I thought that it would be obvious," the sentence came out more vehemently than she would have liked but it was how she felt. "I'm going back out to look for Terry."

"No, you need to get home and sleep," said Bruce it a tone that left no room for argument but Max made one anyway.

"Do you really think that I would be able to sleep knowing that he's out there some where, probably in big trouble?" she asked it as a rhetorical question and Bruce knew it but answered anyway.

"No, but you need to try to get some sleep or you wont be able to function tomorrow and that wont help anyone including Terry," to Max's surprise he had almost yelled this at her.

She also realized that he had called Terry by his name and realized that he was just as worried about him as she was, so she only made one last argument. "Fine, but I don't want to go home. I want to stay here so if you find anything or he manages to get back I'm here to know about it," she had said this in a monotone voice that almost match Bruce's own.

Bruce just looked at her, his features betraying no emotion but his eyes showed a hint of sympathy. "Alright," he said with no amount of displeasure in his voice which furthered her belief that he understood.  
  
Eight Hours Later on the other Side of the City:  
  
In an alley covered in trashcans Batman was unwillingly coming back to consciousness. "Unnhhh." He moaned as he tried to sit up. "Where the hell am I?" He asked to himself and then the events of hours ago came flooding into his mind. He tried to put his hand to his communicator but white-hot agony stopped him from moving his arm.

He looked down at his suit, which was in tatters and figured that because he hadn't woken up in the cave that the tracking device in the suit must be out. He knew one thing above all others at that moment. He had to get to Wayne and get word to Max that he was okay. 'Well maybe not 'okay' but at least alive' so she wouldn't go ballistic trying to find him. He tried to pull himself up but had to go heavily on one leg and he only had one good arm, both on the right side. As he pulled himself out of the trash he stayed hunched over to ease the pain from his possibly broken ribs.

As he limped forward he saw a sheet that had been thrown out so he took it and tore a piece off using his teeth and his one good arm and made a sling for his injured arm. It was light out so he tried to see if his cloak still worked and wonder of wonders it did. It was practically the only system on the suit that still did. He still stayed in the back alleys just in case it decided to stop working and he, as silently as possible, made his way in the direction of the manor.

His progression was glacially slow. He was constantly stumbling and falling over things in the alleys. As he was coming around a corner he lost his balance and fell when he stepped on a broken jar.

The fall took him out into the next alley where he heard the taunting voices of a gang of jokers. He looked up and saw that there were four of them harassing an ageing man who was carrying groceries. Batman cringed at the thought of having to face a bunch of jokers and was almost willing to walk away when one of them pulled out a spiked rubber chicken, two pulled out chains and the last one picked up a pipe.

"Alright old man give us all your creds and your groceries," said the joker with the rubber chicken. The man tried to comply but he couldn't get his wallet out of his pocket. "Not fast enough, now you're going to have to pay extra." The jokerz then started to advance on the man and the one with the chicken began to swing it at the man.

Batman turned off his cloak and fired a batarang at the joker's hand and he hit dead on. The Jokerz stopped going after the defenseless man and turned to see the gnarled figure of the Batman.

"Get out of here," he said to the man before addressing the jokerz. "Now, are you guys going to play nice or do we have to do this the hard way?" Batman hoped to God that it wouldn't be the hard way.

The jokerz actually seemed to consider the easy way until one spoke up, " Shit guys, he's just playin' us. Look at 'im he won't be able to beat us in the shape he's in." Then to Terry's chagrin they begin to advance on him. He does his best to take up an intimidating fighting stance that was second nature to him but with his injuries it was one of the hardest things he had ever had to do.

Trying to ignore the pain in his chest he blocked the first swing and countered with a right hook, which, despite his best efforts forced him to the ground in agony holding his ribs. The joker that Batman hit got up, "hey guys, he's hittin' like a girl today and he can't even stand up. Lets nail him."

They started to run towards Batman. Batman managed to shoot batarangs at the jokerz to disarm them but that was all he had the chance to do before they were on him and pounding him from all sides.

He was on the ground on his side in minutes and the jokerz were kicking him hard in the back and chest and abdomen. One of the Jokerz managed to find one of thier pipes and began to hit Batman's right arm.

As a last ditch effort he turned on his boot thrusters and popped out his wings and flew off into the sky to come down only three blocks away because the fuel in the boots had been used up. He fell to his hands and knees once more and began to throw up.

For a full ten minutes he threw up but for the last five he was throwing up blood. When he finally stopped he stood up turned on the cloak once more and began to walk in a zombie like state towards his destination. He hoped beyond hope that he would make it. "I'm coming Max."  
  
Wayne Manor  
  
Max had actually gotten an hour or two's worth of sleep before she was allowed out of her room. Bruce had actually locked her in her room in the mansion. After she left her room she ran to the cave and jumped into the cockpit of the Batmobile before the old man could object and jetted out of the cave.

She searched for two hours and found nothing when Bruce called her to ask for an update. She told him her findings or lack there of and he sent her to some of Batman's snitches.

When she arrived at the first location she was just about to jump out of the 'car' and track the punk down but was stopped by Bruce. "Hold on," he told her.

"What, did I go to the wrong place?" she wondered irritatedly then she noticed that she was only in her own clothes and couldn't go out of the car.

But Bruce answered her unspoken question, "Open the compartment under the back of the chair. She did as he said and pulled out a Batgirl costume that looked almost exactly like Terry's but it had a double bat symbol on the chest instead of one. She looked at the monitor, showing the old man's face, with a stunned look on her face.

"This is only a one time use." She understood, but filed a future argument into her mind, and put on the suit after turning off the visual link. She then proceeded to press any and all snitches for information on Batman.

She searched fervently for the rest of the day but found nothing and went back to the manor empty handed and heartbroken at the lack or success.  
  
In The Bat cave that night:  
  
"Ace, what am I going to do?" Bruce asked his faithful dog. Bruce was in the cave by himself with his faithful companion because Maxine had already gone up to her room. He was starting to become fond of her and felt glad that Terry had found someone who cared for him even with his secret.

The answer to his question was a small whine and a whimper. Ace then went off and came back with a small signal watch in his teeth.

"What have you got boy?" Bruce asked as the dog came closer and dropped the device in Bruce's lap. Bruce looked at the watch and his eyes went wide by what Ace had given him.

"Do you really think that we need his help that badly?" Bruce asked the dog at his side. A furtive bark was his answer.

"Alright then." He patted Ace as he hit the button on the side of the watch and waited.

Somewhere in the back streets of Gotham Batman was stumbling along past an abandon homeless persons shelter and sat and tried to rest his pain-wracked body. As he sat he felt the cold of the night begin to affect him and wished that Max were there to help keep him warm.

He began to shiver uncontrollably as he saw snowflakes start to fall from the sky. He began to move on when a faint tingle in his leg caused him to stop. The tingling stopped for a second and then returned and it repeated the action. Terry realized it was the device in his leg that was causing it. As the device vibrated for the tenth time the vibration worked up into a full body shock as electricity once again flooded his system.

After the surge of agony passed he realized that it was exactly 24 hours since it was first activated. He cursed it under his breath. Feeling the weakest and loneliest that he had ever felt he moved over to a hidden spot behind one of the many dumpsters in the alley and took one of the blankets that was in the alley and wrapped himself in it even though it was paper thin and full of holes.

There he curled up and shivered trying not to fall asleep for fear he would never wake up. Eventually, though, his body submitted to the darkness of slumber. Even in sleep his body shook violently from the cold and his sleep was restless.  
  
A/N: I hope that I was able to satisfy some of your curiosities with this chapter. See ya soon with the next chapter.


	5. The hero is found

Hey guys HAPPY CANADA DAY sorry for the delay but I just didn't have time to write yesterday because THE SPIDERMAN MOVIE CAME OUT. I went to see it yesterday and I turned some heads when I was leaving because I had a Spiderman 2 shirt on, two SM key chains, a SM visor, SM jean jacket and I had on my own SM home made gloves. The movie rocked. Anyone who hasn't seen the movie yet really should go to see it. It is awesome.

Also sorry about not having the option open for anonymous reviews. I didn't know that I had to enable it.(bashes head against wall) Thanks for pointing it out to me. Here's your next chapter so read and enjoy. Please tell me what you think!!!

PS: this chapter has some mushy parts that i think add a little substance.

CHAPTER FIVE  
  
The next morning Bruce woke to Ace's barking as someone entered the cave. He turned in his chair hoping to see Terry but was instead greeted by the sight of Superman coming down the stairs. The hope was gone from his eyes for the moment to be replaced with worry all the while his expression never changed.

"Bruce, what's the emergency?" asked Superman in a jocular tone of voice. "Having trouble keeping the kid in line?"

"No." said Bruce not in the mood for the jokes. "I need your help to find him."

"What did he do, steal the suit again?" Clark said trying to lighten his friend's mood but turned serious when he saw the fear in the man's eyes. "What happened?"

"McGinnis was out on patrol two nights ago when he was caught in a trap by a hit man known as Death. His comlinks are down and the tracking device on the suit is inoperable. I haven't heard from him since then and I haven't been able to find him."

"That's where I come in isn't it?" Clark said gravely. "I'll start searching immediately. Do you have an idea of where in the city he might be?"

"No, I don't. We've searched the city all over and we haven't found a trace. With your abilities you may be able to find him where we couldn't."

"Bruce? Are you alright? When I came into the room I saw that the clock face was open and..." in the pause Max had spotted who had opened the cave entrance. "Superman?"

"Yes, I called him here to help find Terry," Bruce answered Max curtly.

"Will you really be able to find him?" Max asked hopefully to the man of steel with a pleading look in her eyes.

"I hope so. Now if you'll excuse me the sooner I start the better." With that he flew off out of the cave.

"Good luck," came a whisper from the occupants of the cave.  
  
36 hours after the fight with Death  
  
Superman had covered over half of the city and hadn't found a clue and was beginning to wonder if he would ever find the poor kid. He knew that Bruce had trained the kid well so he knew that he would have to be in bad shape not to have made his way back to the cave by now.

He was scanning a back alley with his x-ray vision when he noticed a circuitry covered form curled into a fetal position behind a dumpster. He dove straight to that spot. He saw a ratty old blanket appearing to hover in the air but knew that Batman had to be under it.

"Bruce, I think I've found him but he's cloaked. How do I turn it off?" he spoke into his communicator softly.

"Oh, thank God." Superman was taken aback by the show of emotion from Bruce. It made Superman realize how much the kid meant to his friend.

"You found him?" came the response from the kids girlfriend, "Is he alright? How badly hurt is he? Where..." Clark heard his friend silence the girl in the politest way he could and took over the communications again.

"The switch is on the main part of the belt. Turn the knob a quarter turn to the right." He used his x-ray vision to find the belt and turn off the stealth device to reveal the form it concealed.

He then pulled the blanket off of Batman's shaking form and Superman gasped in shock at the sight of him. The suit was torn so badly that he didn't even think that Bruce could fix it and the kid's arm was in a makeshift sling. His cowl was smeared in blood and he could see gashes all over the kid's body. He then scanned his body and wondered how he was even still alive.

Most of his ribs were either cracked or broken, his left shoulder was dislocated and his right arm was fractured, there was a device embedded in his left leg and he had internal bleeding. Thankfully there was no head wound to complicate matters more, even though it was a small consolation in light of the kid's condition.

He took in the pathetic sight with sympathy then knelt down and touched the kid's head to try to wake him. "Terry?" Superman said softly to the one in front of him.

As soon as he touched him he woke up with a start. He got ready to defend himself if necessary but as soon as he saw it was Superman he lowered his guard and began to shiver uncontrollably again in the cold morning air. He also started to cry and grabbed Superman around the chest in a loose but fear filled hug. Superman hugged the kid back and almost let go as the kid winced at the touch to his shoulder.

"I was so afraid that I wouldn't wake up," whispered Batman so quietly that only Superman could hear him just before he tensed and hissed in pain. He then passed out and went limp in Superman's grasp.

"Bruce, there's no way you'll be able to treat him at your cave. I'm going to take him to the watchtower. I'll get someone to come and get you two because it will be better if he wakes up to familiar faces."

"That's okay, I can make it there myself and I'll bring Max with me," came Bruce's voice before the link was disconnected. Superman hit a control device on his glove and entered a code.

He then called J'onn at the Watchtower through a mental link, 'J'onn, this is Superman, do you read me?'

'Loud and clear Superman. What is the problem?'

'I need you to prep the infirmary and be ready for a patient.'

'It will be done shortly Superman.' There was a pause from J'onn. 'It isn't Bruce is it?'

'No. It's the new Batman.' Superman then gingerly picked up the battered form of Batman and flew to a rendezvous point with the Javelin as fast as he dared to go with his precious cargo.

Once during the flight Superman's worry for the boy caused him to speed up but promptly slowed down as moans of pain started to come from his unconscious passenger. He was waiting at the location where the Javelin would land to pick them up to take them to the Watchtower when he had to land himself because his passenger woke up and started into a wild coughing fit.

When he landed he put Batman down on the ground and tried to get him to relax but the kid couldn't stop coughing. Batman rolled over and propped himself up on his hands and knees and he began to throw up again from the force of his coughs, spitting up more blood. As the kid started to lose his strength he began to fall towards the ground face down.

Superman caught him just as he fell and laid him down on his side. Then he started to rub the back of the hacking form at his feet. To Superman's dismay the kid was still coughing up blood as the Javelin arrived. As Batman passed out again Superman picked him up and took him into the spacecraft.

He then put the craft on auto pilot and stayed in the back with Batman on the floor incase he woke up again. As the spacecraft made its way to the Watchtower Superman kept a watchful eye over his charge with dismay. Even unconscious the kid was restless. He would twitch every now and then as if in a dream state and would mumble out words. One in particular was repeated constantly and with pleading. _Max_.

When they arrived at the Watchtower Superman carried the lightly coughing form of Batman off of the spacecraft and was met by the members of the Justice League. J'onn of course, the new Flash, Wally West's grandson, Wonder Woman, a new Green Lantern and Hawk Man.

Superman flew past their surprised stares and worried expressions towards the medical bay. J'onn was right behind him. As he entered the doors to the medical bay he flew to the prepped med table and set the boy down on it.

He was about to start taking off the kid's costume just as Bruce came charging through the door with a frantic Max in persuit. Superman hadn't seen his old friend move that fast in years. The look of horror in his eyes alone were enough to convey the reason for his rush.

Max upon seeing her beloved in such disarray ran to the side of the bed and looked him over tentatively. Superman then began to take off Batman's boots. "Would you help me take off his suit?" he asked Max who was still standing there only now with an unreadable expression and a hint of something in her eye that Superman was to busy to notice. She nodded and began to take off his gloves.

He was about to take off the suit's top but stopped when he remembered the injuries. Superman looked over to his friend, "would you mind if I cut it off? I don't think that I would be able to pull it off without causing him more injury."

Bruce just looked at him and that was all the permission that Superman needed from his old friend. He used his heat vision to cut the suit down the front and then down the arms. As he pulled back the suit he heard gasps from the doorway and he understood why.

The kid's chest and abdomen were a mass of bruises and gashes. Superman lifted the kid's body and Max pulled what was left of the suit's top out from under him. Bruce was already taking the bottom half of the suit off and when he had finished he handed it to Superman.

Superman then held the suit out, "Flash, take this to the electronics lab and put it on my work station." No sooner were the words out of his mouth the suit was gone from his hand and the flash was back at the door saying that it was done.

He then turned back to Max who was reaching up to take off the cowl of the suit. As the mask came off he just stared at the expression of pain etched across the kid's face. There was a gash above his eye and blood was slowly trickling down from the corner of his mouth. Max then lightly brushed his hair away from his eyes and whispered softly, "Ter, what am I going to do with you?"

The Flash, Wonder Woman and J'onn all had the same reaction to the sight of the new Batman. But Flash was the one to voice it, "He's just a kid."


	6. A little relief and a few more tears

Hey, sixth chapter. hope you guys like it. please tell me what you think of it with reviews. Good or bad just review. The next upload may take a while because i will be away for a family reunion this weekend. I'll try to update as soon as possible. See ya for the weekend. Catch you on the flip side!

CHAPTER SIX  
  
J'onn hooked up an IV unit to Terry's arm and began to examine his injuries. He then prepped for surgery to stop the internal bleeding that Superman had informed him of. Every one was ushered out of the room.

Max walked down one of the many corridors in the Watchtower just looking at the floor. Under any other circumstances Max would have marveled at the advanced headquarters, but now she really didn't care. She was deep in thought about all that had happened and what she may have been able to do if the old man had just let her start working with Terry.

She had been walking for about five minutes when someone put their hand on her shoulder and brought her out of her reverie. She turned, startled, and saw that Wonder Woman was standing behind her. She looked like she was only twenty-six years old but in fact she was older that Bruce Wayne.

Max was about to say something but Wonder Woman spoke first, "What's your name?"

"Max," she gave in a somber tone.

"Max, am I right in assuming that you two are lovers?" Wonder Woman asked in a soft voice.

"Yes, very much so," Max almost couldn't believe that she was revealing her deepest secrets to a person she just met, but still, it felt so right when she had said it.

"Are you alright?" Wonder Woman asked when Max got a far off look in her eyes. Max turned back and just stared at the woman and tears started to well up in her eyes. She fought them back as best she could but she couldn't stop one from escaping and running down her face.

"He'll be alright," Wonder Woman tried to assure Max and moved closer and held the girl to her. That was it, as soon as she felt the strong arms wrap around her she remembered Terry's strong arms and how he would hold her and she broke down. She began to sob heavily onto Wonder Woman's shoulder.

As she cried she fell to her knees and Wonder Woman kneeled down with her letting her cry. "He'll be alright," said Wonder Woman again in a whisper.  
  
Bruce and Superman, after leaving the medical bay, went to a secluded spot in the Watchtower and Began to talk. Bruce started the run over of events. "Where did you find him Clark?" asked Bruce in his monotone voice.

"I found him in an alley rapped in a ratted blanket behind a dumpster," Superman said knowing that Bruce wouldn't want him to sugar coat it.

"What was his condition?"

"He was asleep. After I called you I woke him up to see how bad off he was," he stopped to consider what he would say next. "Bruce, when he woke up he was terrified, he tried to hide it but after being around you for so long I couldn't miss it. He passed out after he realized that it was me that woke him."

"Then what happened or did you just happen to cut that invulnerable hide of yours?" Bruce asked.

"As I flew him to the rendezvous point with the javelin he woke up again and started into a coughing fit. I put him down and he started spitting up blood. He has some bad internal bleeding. He lost his strength along with his consciousness soon after." Replied the Man of Steel as he looked down at his blood stained uniform.

Bruce just closed his eyes and was silent. They were both silent for the better part of the two hours that it took for J'onn to complete the surgery. When J'onn announced over the COM system for Bruce, Superman and Max to come to the medical bay, the two legendary forms left together in silence.

As the two entered the bay where Max was already seated beside Terry's bandaged form Superman asked, "Were you able to stop the bleeding?"

"Yes, he was bleeding into the stomach but it was easily patched." Superman walked over to J'onn J'onnz. "I'll have to wake him to put his arm back in and to ask him if he knows about the device that has embedded itself in his leg. I don't want to start to extract it without first identifying its purpose." Replied J'onn to the unvoiced question.

"I'll wake him." Superman turned to see Bruce walking to where Terry lay on the table. He leaned over to touch the cut on Terry's forehead before he lightly called his name. He then gently shook him to arouse him careful not to jar any of his ribs.

Bruce knew that it would be painful for Terry to wake up so soon but it couldn't be helped. Terry woke up to the soft sound of Bruce calling him. He looked up at the old man with slightly blurred vision.

He tried to sit up but the injuries, Bruce and someone beside him soon put a stop to that. He turned his head to look at Bruce and gave a pained smile. "Looks like I messed up big this time around, huh?"

He started to cough again but this time there was no blood and he soon stopped. "You should have seen what was going on and not been so gullible," said Bruce with a proud look in his eyes.

"I guess I'll have to do better next time," said Terry to his mentor. He then looked around his surroundings and noticed Max was beside him. He looked her straight in the eye and they both began to tear. "Hey Max was the only thing to say that came to mind.

"Hey yourself, Ter," she almost choked out.

Terry then realized something and gave a worried glance at Bruce. "Where are we and where's the suit?"

Superman took this opportunity to interject, "you're on the Justice League Watchtower and your suit is being repaired." Terry looked over at him as he approached then he turned back to Bruce and received a nod.

"Terry, I know this will be hard for you but I need to replace your shoulder," said the Martian Man hunter.

"With all of the pain from my ribs and stomach I had almost forgotten about my arm." He said weakly and seemed to wince as he thought about his shoulder. "Yeah, sure. Go ahead." He said to J'onn.

"This will be quick but this will hurt," said the man hunter as he grabbed a hold of Terry's arm in a firm grip. "Ready?" he asked. Terry clenched his teeth and nodded in reply then the man hunter twisted and pushed on Terry's arm until he heard it snap back into place.

Terry let out a strangled gasp as he felt his shoulder fall back in place. He almost passed out but fought it off for the moment for Max's sake. "So, will you be able to take this device in my leg out without doing to much damage to my leg?" said Terry not showing the pain he must have been feeling.

"I'm not sure. I will have to study it a bit further," replied J'onn.

'I really wish that Bruce and Max didn't have to see me this way' thought Terry. Unknown to Terry the Martian had heard his thoughts and sent a message to Superman asking him to take Bruce out of the medical bay. Superman made a suggestion to Bruce and they made their way out of the room but Max wouldn't leave. She didn't want to let Terry out of her site again.

As soon as Terry saw the old man leave, seeing that Max wasn't about to go any where soon, he allowed himself to feel the pain that was screaming to be noticed and began to breathe uneasily.

The Martian was so amazed by the boy's change in behavior that if he didn't know any better he would have thought that he was a different person.

"Are you alright?" asked the Martian in a calm soothing voice.

"Not really, no." Terry started to cough again and this time he passed out. For the next few hours Max stayed by Terry's bedside and never moved, her gaze locked onto Terry's face.

After a few hours Terry woke up on his own. Max helped him into a more comfortable position and then she called Bruce over the Watchtower's COM system. Then she went back to her seat by the one she loved.

Two minutes later, Bruce, followed by Superman and the Martian entered the room. The Martian went straight for the monitors to check Terry's vitals. Superman came up to the foot of the bed and looked Terry over, a wry smile on his face.

"Just like Bruce, never stayed out for long no matter what the injury," said the man of steel. "Just to stubborn for your own good." He got a gruff snort for a reply to that last comment and the man of steel winced at it.

Bruce then came up beside Superman at the foot of the bed. "What happened Terry? I lost contact with you after you cut the audio link," asked Bruce.

Terry closed his eyes for a minute and then opened them again. "After I shut off the link I flew at Death and knocked him away from the people on the roof. I told them to run and they did." He blinked again slowly. "Then I turned to go at Death again but he activated the device in my leg and it sent a surge of electricity through me. I fell to my knees and he started to pound on me."

He paused and took a breath. "After a minute he threw me across the roof and came at me again. He picked me up so he could stare into my eyes and shocked me again. Each time he did it he increased the voltage. Then the commissioner arrived. I was thrown off of the roof and I landed in an alley." He had started to cough again and had to stop before he could continue.

"Then what happened?" Bruce asked knowing that there was more.

"I woke the next morning and I began to make my way back to the cave. I fell around a corner and saw a guy going to get beat by a bunch of Jokerz and tried to stop them. The man got away but..." he faltered, "but they caught me and beat me to the ground."

He hated to admit to his weakness, especially in front of the audience he had, but Bruce would only want the truth. So he gave it because it was the only was to get him off of his back. "I managed to fly away somehow and landed in another alley.

I couldn't make myself move anymore so I curled into a corner and tried to just sit until I could." He took a minute to bring the tears that had escaped from his eyes under control. "I must have fallen asleep because the next thing I knew, Superman was over me."

"Terry." said someone out of Terry's view. He searched around until he saw the Martian man hunter.

"Yeah?" asked Terry hoarsely.

"About that device in your leg. What does it do again?" asked J'onn.

Another look of remembered pain washed over the young Batman's face then disappeared. "It sends and electrical surge through my body every time the signal device is hit. Death hit me with it before our fight. He used it several times and raised the voltage constantly," Terry said finally sitting up with much protest from every one in the room.

Superman's eyes were wide through the whole thing and began to have a great deal of respect for the kid he saw in front of him.  
  
"He didn't tell me directly but ... I think the thing in my leg is booby trapped." Terry's face suddenly turned to worry. "What time is it? How long has it been since you found me?"

"Almost six hours on the dot, Why?" Superman offered.

"Because if I'm right then ..." Terry didn't even get to finish his sentence before it was cut off with a holler of agony and spasms of his body as the device in his leg let loose with its most powerful shock yet.

Max jumped back in surprise and her mouth opened into a startled gasp. Bruce ran to Terry's side to try to hold his shaking form down only to be stopped by the look in Terry's eyes.

In his ice blue eyes there was more fear and anguish shown in them than Bruce had seen in a long time. He felt helpless along with all of the other people in the room as he watched Terry's body flex to its extreme for an eternity. In all likelihood it was no more than ten seconds but it felt like years to the spectators.

Then Terry's body relaxed and the screams turned into erratic, labored breathing as he tried to hang on to consciousness. "...Device...three hours...then...one and a half...get it out...help me Bruce," Terry managed to gasp out and gave a pleading look in his eyes to everyone in his line of sight before he lost consciousness.

Bruce stood like a statue in shock as Superman flew past him and looked to make sure Terry was still alive.

He then turned to J'onn, "What happened?"

"He was telling us he thought that the device was 'booby trapped' and from the looks of it he was right." He gave a pointed glance towards the tortured form on the med lab bed.

"Why did he do this to you?" asked Max in a whisper that was barely caught by any one in the room.

J'onn then looked at the monitors attached to Terry's leg, "It was the device that caused this alright. It sent an electrical charge through his body and I'm guessing that it has also done this at least a dozen times before and will again according to Terry."

"Then we better figure out a way to remove it and fast," came a low rumble of thunder from behind the two talking individuals.

They both turned to see Bruce brushing the hair from Terry's face and stroke the top of his head. When Bruce turned to look at them they were startled by the anger radiating from his eyes and shrunk at the intensity. Superman had only ever seen that look once and knew that who ever caused all this was going to wish they had never been born and in a very short time.


	7. A old solution and an old problem

Hey everybody!  
  
Sorry for the wait but it was one humdinger of a family reunion. When we told the guards at the U.S. border that we were going to the family reunion in Maine they even knew what it was and commented that it must be a pretty huge family.

When I got there, there were at least fifty people there and the party hadn't even started yet. I found that I have too many cousins to count and there are at least five doctors.

Every time I looked around I saw new people at the party. One thing that I found that we all had in common was our appetite. Everyone was served a 5-pound lobster and a huge grilled steak however you wanted it. There were hordeurves of steamed clams, a buffe table of food for starters, and huge amounts of deserts.

There was even a hired band that played. I was nuts. I also found that many of my cousins are Marvel and DC fans.

This last week I have not been able to update because of my volunteering to help run VBS (vacation bible school) for my church. We had over fifty kids attend and it went off great. I can't wait until the next VBS next year. Besides all of that it took me one heck of a long time to write this.

Any way, enough of my banter and on with the fanfiction.  
  
CHAPTER SEVEN  
  
One hour after the alarming event in the infirmary every one in the Watchtower were deep in search for any information that might help the new Batman, whether it was to find Death or to gain information on the hateful device in his leg.

Five minutes after she had left the infirmary Wonder Woman sat in the Watchtower's communications room. She had just cut a link between her and one of the many informants that she had contacted in the past hour. In the darkness of the room she thought about what was occurring just two floors below.

She thought of what the new Batman must be going through. She had mercifully never had to experience anything even remotely like what he was now. She thought about all of her abilities and how they protected her from such things. She thought about how it must feel to go out into the world of the criminal and fight in it without the aid of any special abilities.

That was something that she had always admired Batman for, past and present. They had no special abilities or powers, the only thing that has always protected them were their minds and their ability to think steps ahead of anyone else.

She remembered a time when the original Batman, Bruce, had seemingly bit off more than he could chew. It had been one of those times when the Injustice Gang had challenged the Justice League. She remembered the fight in the museum. 'The fight had just started to go in our favor' she thought.

Then the shade had used his darkness to let the Gang escape. They searched for any of the Gang left and found Copperhead and were elated. Until they found Batman down, blood smeared and shivering from poison. A 'snake bite'.  
  
She hadn't thought that he would recover from it, but she had forgotten one thing that defined 'Batman', his determination. He had recovered in no time and amazed everyone and not to long from that he saved all our tails and managed to arrange the capture of the entire Gang.

She leaned back and sighed, thinking of the new Bat. Even in the state that he was in she had no doubt that he would amaze them all with his recovery and determination to get back into the action, just like Bruce had so many times in the past.

She turned back to the communications screen and decided she could try at least one more contact.

The Flash was now on the Earth searching every place that he could think of to see if he could pick up on any sign of where the hit man Death might be. He had begun to search right after he witnessed the new Batman's agony in the infirmary. He had thought that the first time he saw him, when Superman had brought him in, that he was in bad shape.

He had seen just how bad he was in the infirmary when he had been there to see Superman, an old man and a girl he didn't know remove his costume. He couldn't believe that the guy was still alive. When the mask was taken off and he realized that the new Bat was a kid he had almost feinted with the surprise. The Flash had always thought of himself as a young superhero but Batman was at least five years his junior.  
  
He had heard stories of the new Batman of Gotham and couldn't believe that it was this kid that had made such a difference in that crime-ridden city. He had also heard stories of the original Bat.

Mostly from J'onn and Superman who, to the Flash, were the best superheroes ever and he didn't think that their was anyone that could best them. But from their stories he could tell that they admired the Batman and at some points almost feared him to some extent.

The old man that he had seen in the room with the new Bat, as J'onn informed him, was the original. He hadn't thought it possible until he looked at the guy's eyes after he left the infirmary an hour earlier. He had been frightened enough by the look in those eyes that he immediately jumped to high speed without even thinking.

He knew at that moment why Superman and J'onn had been intimidated, this guy was scary. He idly wondered if the kid was anything like the old Bat and thought that if he were he would be back on his feet and into the fray before anyone knew it. The Flash had thought of all this in less than a second.

He was now searching another abandon warehouse in Gotham and realized that it was the last one and he had found nothing. So he decided to go back to the Watchtower and check up on the others.

J'onn for the last hour had been taking scans and adjusting apparatuses to keep Terry's vitals steady while trying to maneuver around Max who had not moved from the bedside. This had kept him busy for the hour and all he had thought about was how similar and how utterly different the two bats were when he was interrupted by the doors to the infirmary flying open and the intense thoughts of determination that he knew so well enter the room.

Bruce for the last 55 minutes had been in the main computer room of the Watchtower searching furiously for anything that would lead him to Death. Superman was hovering behind his friend watching the man work. Bruce had searched every database that he could think of and was getting nowhere.

Bruce slammed his fists down on the control panel in frustration and felt like he could scream.

Clark knowing better than to say anything to his frustrated friend, just watched in sympathy, although he wasn't sure whom he felt the sympathy for. Whether it was for Terry's pain, Bruce's frustration or for Death and what would happen to him when Bruce got a hold of him.

If Clark had learned one thing from his friendship with Bruce/Batman it was that you do not mess with the Bat family. Bruce turned to the screen on his left and reread the information on the unknown device that he had been supplied to them by J'onn's scans. He couldn't find any way to remove it without risk to Terry.

Then it came to him.

"How could I have been so blind?!" he practically howled from the sheer blatancy of the answer. Bruce almost jumped out of his chair and flew out the door and down the hall before superman even clued into the fact that his friend had moved. He quickly followed Bruce to his destination.

The infirmary.  
  
End Of Chapter  
  
The rest is another note from the Author, me!

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Cycke!!! Sorry I just couldn't resist, please don't kill me. Read on and see what Bruce has come up with.  
  
"J'onn can you make objects other than yourself immaterial?" asked Bruce harshly to the Martian.

"Yes, Bruce, I have found that I can make things immaterial along with my body," replied J'onn. "I did not think it a wise choice as an alternative way to attempt to extract the device. We had no idea of what it could do," said J'onn getting the meaning to Bruce's question.

"What?! Don't you have enough information now on what it does?" Max almost hollered as she gestured at Terry and Superman caught the sight of a single tear make its way past all of her attempts to hold it back.

J'onn nodded solemnly to Bruce and Max and made his way towards Terry who Max was now stroking the side of his head and holding his hand. As J'onn approached she looked up but didn't stop what she was doing.

J'onn moved to Terry's left side and moved over to the part of the leg where the device was located. He prayed to himself that the device did not have a safety mechanism that would do the boy any more harm. He paused to concentrate then made himself immaterial and reached his hand into Terry's leg.

He reached his hand around the device and concentrated on the metallic object in his grasp. As he phased the object and started to remove it he felt a slight tingle coming from it. He had pulled it almost half way out when the tingle became a vibration.

This only made him pull it out faster and he closed his fist around it as he brought it back to solidity.

"Oh my word. That was in Terry?" This was Max's reaction to seeing the appearance of the thing that had caused her Boyfriend so much pain. It had seven spikes coming from it. As soon as he had the device in his sights he turned away from Terry and toward Superman and Bruce who were watching intently.

"Here is the device that was in his leg. It is emitting a low vibration, which started as I removed it from Terry," stated the Martian.

Superman walked to J'onn and took the device from him knowing that he was the one who should be handling it in case it had a failsafe mechanism that was going to activate. He looked at it closely for a moment with his x-ray vision, determined that it was safe for the moment and then handed it over to Bruce.

He eyed it and thought of something. "I'm headed for the science lab and you're coming with me," he said to Superman. Bruce then headed out of the room with is confused companion.

"Where is he off to, shouldn't he be here if he wakes up?" inquired Wonder Woman, who had entered the room just after J'onn started to remove the device. "You'd think that he would want to be here."

"I'm sure that Bruce has a very good reason for not being here. I'm sure that only something of great importance could take him out of this room." The Martian then walked over to Terry's form and checked the monitors and then he and Diana left to leave Terry under Max's guard.  
  
Else where:

Blip. Blip. Blip.

Death was in his acquired office where he had been for the last seven hours. He was thinking to himself on his next attempt at the lives of the witnesses that he had been hired to kill when the screen to his left started to pick up a signal.

He turned and stroked a few keys on his console and smiled despite himself. The signal was coming from the electrical surge device that he had tagged Batman with. He had known that the Bat had not perished that night because he had kept track of him with the homing beacon in the ESD.

He had not gone after the Bat because he had not been paid too. He had, though kept track of him for future reference; one reason was because he still wanted to test the Bat's skills to a more thorough extent, if he lived from his injuries. The second was so he could tell if he would be given any more trouble from him.

Death had stopped watching the monitor after the first day and set the computer to monitor instead and to signal if anything changed. The morning of the second day his computer had informed him that the Bat had left Earth.

This intrigued him to learn that he had gone to the Watchtower. He made a mental note to increase his surveillance incase he received any unwanted attention from the JLU. This signal however was one of a different kind. This one signaled that Batman had removed the ESD and someone was testing it.

This time he knew he would be having company soon. He turned to his main console and typed in an address.

Powers appeared on the screen. "I will have to delay the infiltration of the safe house and my rates have just gone up," Death said without any greeting.

"Why?" asked Powers in a too calm voice.

"I will shortly have to deal with some uninvited guests. It seems that Batman has made it to the JLU Watchtower and they are tracking a signal back to my position," Death said in response.

"I knew it was too easy," seethed Powers. "Alright. I accept your terms under the circumstances; do what you have to do to get rid of them and Batman. Get rid of him and you will be paid accordingly."

"Don't fail," Powers said again as a last warning.

Death then turned off his monitor and set to prepare for his guests.  
  
Back at the Watchtower:  
  
"Bruce why are we headed to the science lab? I thought that you'd want to be with the kid incase he wakes up?" asked Superman.

"There's no place I'd rather be right now but I'm of no use just sitting there. Besides, if my hunch is right then I'll be able to find the mercenary that did this." Bruce then turned down the hall and into a room.

Once inside he placed the horrid device down on a workbench and ran it through a multitude of tests and when he looked at the results Superman realized what Bruce was talking about.

The vibration of the device was it transmitting that it had been removed from its host. As he watched Bruce type away at the key panel it felt like old times.

Then when he looked up he saw that Bruce had already cracked the incription code on the transmission's wavelength and was already pinpointing its destination. 'Well, maybe not exactly like old times. This time around Bruce is way ahead of his game.'

Bruce brought Clark out of his reverie, "Got it." When Clark looked up Bruce was already at the door and about to head down the hallway. Clark followed right behind him.

"Where is he?" asked Superman.

"He's in one of Paxton Powers' factories on the docks in Gotham." Bruce paused as the two passed the doors to the infirmary and looked through the small windows at Terry. He was still unconscious with Max sitting by his bedside with a basin of water slowly wiping his forehead.

Wayne noticed the look of pain on Terry's face and the slight twitching of his limbs and realized that he was having a nightmare. Bruce's determination skyrocketed 'Soon you won't have to worry about any more trouble from Death.'

The two then continued down the hall to the hanger. Bruce went straight for the Batmobile, which he had used to get to the Watchtower. Superman watched as he opened the hatch and pulled out a metal exoskeleton.

The sight shocked Superman and he flew over to Bruce's side. "It's the same one that I used to save Terry from Inque," he said to himself more than to Superman. He then hit a switch on the side of it and stepped into it.

"Bruce, doesn't this suit put a huge strain on your heart?" asked a cautious Superman.

"I've since found and relieved the suit of that problem," he said as he put on the helmet and stepped into the car. "I'm going whether you want me to or not Kent."

"I know that. That's why I'm going with you."

"Fine. Come on," said Bruce in his old Batman tone of voice as he closed the hatch of the batmobile. The engines roared to life and the hanger doors of the launch bay opened. The thrusters kicked in and the ship launched from the bay at mach speeds towards its destination in Gotham City. Superman hot on its tail.  
  
In the Javelin:  
  
The Flash was just initiating the command codes to enter the Watchtower when out came a black bullet with Superman flying after it. As the 'bullet' passed by him he realized that it was the batmobile.

He wondered where they could be going and then thought that if they needed his company they would have contacted him. But since they didn't he decided to see what was happening with the current situation with the new Batman.

As soon as he got out of the Javelin he zoomed to the infirmary to satisfy his curiosity. There he found Diana standing outside of the door.

"What did I miss," he asked quickly, of course, there was no other way for him. She turned to him and told him the sit rep of the last fifteen minutes and he figured out where the old Bat and Supes had gone. "I just saw the batmobile and Superman leave the tower at full speed for Earth."

"They must have found something"

"How's the kid doing?" he asked tentatively while catching a glimpse of him through the window in the door.

"He should be fine now, relatively speaking. He's a tough one. If it were anyone else they probably wouldn't have survived even this long."

"I guess that's why he's Batman and not someone else."

"hmm," was Diana's response.  
  
An hour and a half later:  
  
"So, is this the place?" asked Superman as he and Bruce, clad as Batman, come to an old factory building. He looked at his friend to get an answer and true to old form Bruce just nodded his head imperceptibly. Clark then turned back to the factory and was about to try and scan the structure with his x-ray vision when Bruce stopped him.

"Don't bother, these old factories were lead lined to keep in potential radiation leaks," sounded Bruce.

"Why, what are these factories used for?"

"They are parts manufacturing plants, but were used for chemical research, which I eliminated with my reintegration with Wayne/Powers."

"Oh," was all Clark could think of to say. 'He sure hasn't lost anything with age.' Then there was a moment of silence as Bruce hacked open the lock on the door to the factory and they made their way inside.

As soon as they stepped inside they took stock of the place. It was a gutted out factory with only old conveyor platforms and old crates. There were four staircases on the walls that lead to offices and an overhead catwalk that ran in a mesh pattern about forty feet up.

Bruce then motioned for Clark to go and check out two of the offices on the right and he would go and check the two on the left. As they made their way up to the offices and the catwalk, unknown to them, they were being watched from a hidden room.

Death had been preparing for his guests and was waiting silently for them to come across some of his little surprises. He watched as Superman glided up to one of the office doors as this different Batman, he figured that he had to be a stand in for the original, climbed the stairs to another office on the other side of the room.

He knew that what was in the first room had nothing that could stop Superman in it so he focused on the room Batman was headed to. He waited for Batman to open the door and enter before activating the switch for the room. As he watched he saw Batman stop almost and seem to see something. Then Batman warily entered the office Death sprung his trap.  
  
Bruce was beginning to open the door to the office he had chosen to start with when he noticed that one of the walls although well hidden was a false wall and it looked fairly new. He paused a moment and realized that Death would have probably set traps around the factory.

He then proceeded to enter the room only with a little more caution than he would have. As he stepped into the room it was pitch black. He reached up his hand to change his viewer to night vision when a laser blast shot at him. It caught the suit full on the chest and flung Bruce back out the door and almost over the railing.

He caught himself and dove away from the doorframe. In a crouch he looked down at his suit. It had a large scorch mark right over his heart. The suit would not sustain more than one or two shots more of that magnitude.

Superman hearing the laser fire turned from his office and looked over to see Bruce being thrown almost off of the catwalk. He flew over and was about to land by his friend when a projectile came flying at his chest. He caught the round object with no difficulty and studied it. It didn't seem dangerous.

Then it started to spew gas. Superman couldn't believe that someone was actually going to try to take him out with gas. Then as the green gas enveloped him he started to feel weak and he was loosing altitude.

He then realized, with a wash of agony that the gas was not normal but was gaseous kryptonite. As he fell he dropped the projectile and he then hit the floor in a heap. Being a heavy gas it sunk and enveloped Superman once more beckoning him to unconsciousness.

Bruce hearing the crash of his partner whirled to see his long time friend crumpled on the ground surrounded in what could only be Kryptonite gas. He was about to run to his colleague when more laser fire was directed at him.

He leapt and dodged the lasers and crouched behind a conveyor platform on the floor for a chance to catch his breath. He hadn't exactly told Clark the whole truth about the suit. He had found the problem but in order for it to function properly he could only lessen the strain not get rid of it all together. Also on top of that with him being worried so much for Terry he had neglected taking his medicine and he hadn't rested much.

He stood up and shot out five batarangs. Two were meant to draw the laser fire. Two were to take the lasers out and the fifth was to hit the hidden wall he had spotted. All the batarangs hit their marks and the one that hit the wall exploded and left a gaping hole in it. Behind the wall was the figure that Bruce had come for.

"You're better than I expected, for a substitute," called Death from the shadows as he stepped through the hole. "An exoskeleton suit, ingenious. I'm almost sorry that it will be damaged it is a magnificent piece of work."

Bruce didn't reply to that, all he could think of was the last image he had seen of Terry, pain wracked and afraid, and for that Death would pay dearly. Against his better judgment Bruce lunged at Death head on.

As he suspected Death dodged the attack and came back with a cross chop that grazed the yesterknight's shoulder and sent him flipping. Bruce turned his out of control flipping into an almost graceful landing.

He spun and went at Death again, this time faking right and aiming an exploding batarang at where he suspected Death would dodge. His attempt was successful, he caught Death of balance and the projectile hit him in the shoulder. It exploded upon impact and it shot Death backwards into one of the old piles of crates where he did not move.

Bruce went cautiously over to where Death had landed. He was just able to see over the edge of the crates when Death lunged out at him. He grabbed Bruce by neck as they flew across the room.

When they landed Bruce was on the bottom. He had his hands on Death's arms trying to pry the hands away from his neck. He was horrified to find that even with the suit's strength capabilities he was unable to budge the hands. He looked down to Death's arms and saw why Death was so strong.

His arms were almost mechanical just like the thugs that gave Terry the runaround during the 'April Moon' case. Bruce then looked back up at Death. "Whose your tailor?" asked Bruce in a monotone voice not revealing he was having any problems.

"I am, do you like it?" asked Death almost placidly back. "It's going to be the death of you."

"You wont penetrate the suit."

"No, I suppose not." Death then removed one hand from Bruce's neck and began to beat down on Bruce's cowl. Each blow was like a jackhammer.

Bruce through his daze and oncoming unconsciousness moved his other hand from the arm still on his neck to his own arm and activated the distress signal in the suit; he hoped that it wouldn't be blocked by anything in the walls of the factory.

He cursed himself inwardly for being so naïve as to think that he could take down someone like Death at his age. Then nothing as a blow sent him to unconsciousness.

Death looked down at his defeated adversaries and thought about his next move. His employer had given him the new task of finishing the Bat, not the replacement in front of him but the one he had injured a few nights ago. He had also been told to get rid of any of the other heroes that may interfere. He had no problem with this of course. He always completed his tasks and he always looked forward to a challenge.  
  
Back in the Watchtower sick bay:  
  
It had been two hours since the device was removed from her boyfriend and she had not left the room. She just sat and watched him sleep. In her mind she felt that if she were to leave he might slip away on her. She was now asleep on the chair and draped over the edge of the bed. The lack of sleep and all of the worrying had caught up with her and dragged her into dreamland.

J'onn had been in a couple times to check on Terry's vitals. This time when he came in he saw that Maxine had fallen into a deep slumber. He took one of the blankets on another bed and draped it over her. He then left the room.

After leaving the room he headed to the galley where Wonder Woman and the Flash were. Green lantern was up in the lab trying to fix what he could of the Batsuit and Hawkman was on monitor duty.

He turned into the galley to find Diana and the Flash sitting at a table drinking ice mochas. As he entered the Flash looked up at him, "how's the kid doing?"

"He is recovering as well as can be expected. Even with the cellular regeneration and advanced medical equipment he will not be in fighting form for at least a month." The Martian sighed at his last statement and Wonder Woman caught the meaning behind it.

"But he will probably be the same as Bruce."

"That is what I am afraid of."

"What do you guys mean?" asked Flash. "We mean that even though he shouldn't even think of getting out of bed for weeks he'll probably have to be strapped to the bed as soon as he wakes up to keep him in bed," answered Wonder Woman with only a hint of sarcasm.

"You're kidding, with those injuries he won't even be able to move for a week."

"Try telling him that," said Diana.

"Speaking of stubborn old Bats, Have Supes or Bruce come back yet?" asked Flash.

"No, they have not," replied the Man Hunter. "If they needed our assistance they would call."

"I wonder where they went anyway?"

Then the PA system in the Watchtower came on and Hawkman's voice came through. "Justice League, assemble in the surveillance room."

A few seconds later all of the present members of the Justice League were in the surveillance room, staring up at the main vid screen. It had an image of a man with a skull mask and two subdued individuals. Superman and Batman.

"What do you want?" commanded Wonder Woman.

"I want the Batman. I know that this," he pointed to Bruce behind him, "is a replacement while the real Bat hides."

"Why do you want him?" asked the Man Hunter. Everyone in the room wanted to know but everyone else was too furious to say anything, but it was pretty much a rhetorical question.

"Simple, I have been given a job to do and I intend to complete it. Since you are all experienced 'heroes' I am assuming you know the drill. These two are my hostages, they will die if the Bat is not handed over to me. From his actions the night I first crossed his path I am quite confident that he would rather sacrafice himself than have others hurt because of him. Noble but foolish." He snickered for a few seconds.

"You have 12 hours to comply. I will send the coordinates to where you should bring him." Then the communication was severed.

To be continued.

A/N: So how was it? I will update as soon as I can. Talk to you later.


	8. A rude wakeup call

Chapter Eight

Hey, guy's I'm glad that you liked the last chapter. I also hope that you will also like this one. There probably wont be to many more chapters before the end of the story so I hope you enjoy every minute of it. Also, sorry for the long wait, I was kind of having a mental block.

Thanks for the review Trunksblue!

PS. Bumkin if you are reading this please write another Misadventures.!!!

Disclaimer: Again I do not own Batman Beyond or the JLU, just this story line.

Chapter Eight

"You have 12 hours to comply. I will send the coordinates to where you should bring him." Then the link was severed.

"Holy crap!" blurted the Flash, "We're not going to do what he says are we?"

"No," said J'onn in answer to the Flash's statement.

"Hawk Man, were you able to trace back his location?" asked Wonder Woman.

"No, I wasn't able to track the signal, the tracer has gone through six different locations. Each one on a different continent."

"J'onn can you get a mental link on Bruce or Superman?" Wonder Woman asked the green Martian.

"I have already tried during the communication and I was not successful."

"Do you know how Bruce and Superman found Death's location?" asked the Princess.

"I believe it had something to do with the device that ailed Batman."

"GL go see if you can find anything in the labs that might have been left by Bruce or Superman."

"Yes, Wonder Woman," replied the second youngest full time member of the JLU. Then he headed off to start searching the labs.

"Flash, you go and stand guard in Batman's room. I doubt that Death will try anything but just to be on the safe side."

"Sure thing Princess."

Just as the Flash left, the computer screen came up stating that they had a message.

Hawk Man went over and opened the message, then turned to the remaining members of the Justice league in the room. "It's the location for the drop site."

In the infirmary:

The Flash was just entering the room thinking about what they were going to do. They couldn't give that maniac Batman and they couldn't abandon Superman and the old guy. When he looked up he saw that the kid was still asleep, or unconscious, with his girlfriend sleeping in the chair with her head and arms on the edge of the bed. There was a blanket on the floor around the chair.

The Flash went over and picked it up and put it back over the girl. He then walked quietly over to the end wall and sat down in the last chair and began to just watch the two in the room making sure to stay quiet so as not to wake them.

After about five hours of vigil and thinking, with occasional visits from J'onn and Diana, the Flash's attention was drawn to the bed in front of him. At first he thought that it was the girl on the side of the bed waking up but she was still fast asleep. Her movement was caused by Terry. He was moving his arm out from under her as he was waking up.

The Flash watched as he pulled his arm up to his face and rubbed his forehead. He winced at the movement that sent a spike of pain through his chest. Terry then tried to push himself to a sitting position.

The Flash zipped to his side to try to keep him lying down, "You can't sit up yet it's better for you to stay lying down."

He put his hands on Terry's shoulders and tried to keep him down but was lightly shoved away by the boy. Before even the Flash could do anything more Terry was sitting up in the bed and surveying the room.

"Where's Wayne?" he asked in a rocky voice. The Flash was caught off guard by the question and hesitated with a few answers on the tip of his tongue. Finally he settled on one that was only a half lie.

"He's searching for that mercenary."

Terry closed his eyes for a minute and seemed to shudder briefly. Then he opened his eyes abruptly and stared at Flash. The stare was a rival to the original Bat's. It seemed to see through him and the Flash took a step back from the bed.

"Where is he?" Terry almost demanded, the shakiness in his voice had vanished and it became cold.

"Around," the Flash said nervously. He stared back at Terry and regretted it because the stare had turned to a glare with a hint of anger tinting his eyes.

"What did he do," Terry said in a monotone voice at the nervous Flash.

'J'onn!!! Get down here quick and bring Diana with you.' Flash mentally called the Martian in a panic over what to say. Also Terry was starting to get out of the bed and remove the IV lines.

The glare that Terry was conveying to the Flash was quickly devouring the Flash's courage and he began to back up. "Terry, you really should be in bed and resting. You're just going to make your injuries worse if you over exert your self."

Max was just waking up from the noise in the room and looked to see that Terry wasn't in the bed. She panicked for all of a second and then she registered Terry up and walking to a fearful Flash. Then she became angry with him being out of bed when he should have been resting.

"Terry, what do you think you are doing?" came an angry voice from behind Terry. The anger dissipated from his eyes and was replaced by humor. He turned slowly and dipped his head slightly as he saw Max glowering at him. "What are you doing? You should be in this bed getting well. Get back here now mister or I'll drag you over."

"Okay Max, I'm coming. Don't stress out." He said trying to avoid her anger as best he could. When he limped his way to the bed he lost his strength and almost hit the floor. But just before he could hit the floor the Flash ran over and caught him and helped him the rest of the way to the bed much to the protest of Terry. Just as he was about to say something more the door to the infirmary blew open and startled everyone in the room.

In the door way stood J'onn and Diana looking ready for a fight. They looked around quickly and then to the Flash. "What's wrong?" said the princess curtly.

"It's okay it's been handled," Flash said looking over to Max with a thankful expression.

"What happened?" asked J'onn as he relaxed his fighting stance. He turned his attention to Terry and grimaced. He walked over to the bed and stopped. "You should be lying down and why did you take out the IVs?"

"That's what I told him," stated the Flash.

J'onn then looked at Terry and sighed, "You are Batman, though whether that is a good or bad thing we will have to see." Terry just glared at the Martian with a look that rivaled the old man's.

"Speaking of Batman, where is he? The Flash won't tell me so maybe one of you will," asked Terry with a calm voice.

The Martian looked over at Diana and then back to Terry. "Bruce went after the mercenary called Death. He left with Superman over six hours ago. They were captured by Death who wants us to give you to him in exchange for them." He paused at the look of dread on the young man's face.

As he looked at Terry the dread changed to rage and determination.

"Terry you are not even going to attempt to go anywhere in your condition," stated Max with a superiority. You have something already planned right?" she said as she turned to J'onn and Diana.

"Yes, we do. We are going to leave for Earth in an hour to ambush Death at the drop site."

"How do you plan on catching him off guard?" asked Terry coolly.

"We are going to put Flash in a replica of your costume and place him at the site then when Death shows up we will move in and attack."

"Why do I always have to be the bait?" complained the Flash.

"Because you are the closest in physical size to Terry," stated J'onn.

"Oh."

"It sounds like a promising plan but I doubt that Death would fall for it he is probably expecting something like that. Do you even know who it is you are dealing with besides his name," Terry gave the Martian a skeptical look.

"We know that he is an enemy not to be taken lightly, in respect as to what he did to you and how he managed to catch Bruce and Superman. But we believe that our plan will be successful in defeating Death." J'onn then motioned to the other Leaguers in the room and they all left. That left Max and Terry alone in the infirmary.

"They don't understand who they're dealing with do they?" asked Max as she turned to face him.

"No, they don't," he said to her as he looked out the window.

"Do you think that their plan will work?" she asked.

"I'm not sure. I would like to see the message that they received from Death though." He gave Max a sidelong glance and a half smile.

Even after all this time she couldn't resist. She resigned with a small sigh, reached into her bag that she had brought and pulled out her computer. She found an access port in the control panel and plugged in. She spent the next half hour hacking into the Tower's systems. Without the updated programs, Wayne had given her, it would have taken days.

She finally found her way into the transmission records and pulled up the message from Death. "I've got it Terry." She then turned the screen to face him and hit the play button. She and her lover watched as Death gave his message. Terry's eyes were fixated on the screen and the image of Bruce in the armored bat suit.

When the transmission ended Max closed it back down and then went to find what Terry would ask for next. The drop coordinates.

"Max, I have to go and get my suit," he said in a calm voice. Max sighed and looked at him.

"What about your ribs? It's got to be painful to breathe."

"I'll breathe later," as he said that he faintly remembered a similar conversation with Wayne.

"You really think that you need to go?" she asked rhetorically.

"Yes, you saw how he had Wayne and Superman trapped. I also noticed that Wayne was wearing the bat armor. He's worked on that for years, even before I came around. Max, that suit amplifies his strength ten times and since he's worked the bugs out it allows him to do things that he did at his peak."

"I know you have to go. I did research on this guy while you were MIA and I have no doubt that he could take out the rest of the league. He must know all of their weaknesses from the length of time that they have been around." She then closed her laptop and helped Terry take off all of the monitor wires. As they left the room she picked up her bag and turned to him. "I'm coming with you also."

"Max it's too dangerous."

"Terry, I have been doing your job since you vanished, the old man gave me a crash course and there is no way that I am going to let you go down there and face Death again by your self. And that's final." They left the room and headed as quickly to the lab as Terry could go.

As they entered the lab they saw that the suit for the most part had been repaired. Terry figured that the Green Lantern had done it. Since he was just in his boxers anyway he began to pull on the suit with only a bit of dificulty caused from his injuries. Before he put on the cowl to finish the illusion he turned back to Max who was starting to strip to her undergarments.

Terry wasn't embarrassed because he'd seen her that way many times. But he was curious as to why. Then it struck him. Wayne had made her a suit. He watched as she slipped it on and turned to face him. "The drop site is fairly typical. Pier 21 at Gotham Harbor."

"Then let's hurry or we'll miss our ride," he said as they both pulled on their cowls in unison, turned on the camouflage and headed for the docking bay as fast as possible.

(A/N) Sorry that it took so long but how did you like it. After the dry spell of increativity I'm finally getting back into my grove. I'm planning on doing a couple oneshots of Spiderman crossovers so keep a look out if you like Spiderman. Some will be crossovers that I have been looking for but not many of them exist.

Please review and tell me what you thought!!!

Update as soon as I can. Comics Girl.


	9. The preemptive strike

I'm **So Sorry** for the long wait. This will be the second or third last chapter and then it will be finished. I hope that you aren't to mad at me for taking so long. The last chapter should follow this one pretty quickly. Thank you for all of the reviews and I hope that the ending will live up to your expectations. I also hope that every one had a great Christmas! So I won't keep you any longer. Here's the next installment.

Chapter Nine

Terry and max both ran silently down the many corridors of the Watchtower. Terry lead, he knew this place's schematics like the back of his hand. He took a few shortcuts to the docking bay and in a few minutes they were in the decompression bay.

The two of them then snuck on board of the Javelin. Then they went into the rear of the ship and crouched down in the shadows.

"Hey, Max," Terry whispered softly to Max as they made themselves as comfortable as possible, " Hit the small button on the side of your belt buckle."

"What will this do?" she whispered back as she pressed the button and turned to her partner.

"It will shield our thought patterns from J'onn so he won't sense us on the ship with them. So as long as we remain silent we won't be detected. Now be as silent as possible, I can hear them coming." Terry then kept quiet.

Max also able to hear the JLU coming shut her trap and wondered what else was installed in her suit that she didn't know about.

"Why do I always have to be the lure, the bait, the distraction?" the Flash complained as he entered the Javelin first followed closely by Diana and the others. He was wearing a replica of the bat suit that Terry wore.

"We have already gone over this so stop complaining already," said the Green Lantern sternly. The Flash just turned and glared at him. "Well, now we know that it isn't the suit that makes a glare look intense. The Flash _still_ looks like a goofball."

The Flash just started mumbling to himself. The two passengers hidden in the shadows smirked at the last statement.

'It's a talent' thought Terry.

The flight down to Earth from the Watchtower was pretty uneventful due to the sulking Flash in one of the back seats. As they neared the drop location the Justice League started to go over their assigned positions for the last time. The two in the shadows listened in on the plan but knew that whatever they tried Death would be ready.

As soon as they touched down and opened the ramp the stowaways quietly snuck off of the ship behind the unsuspecting JLU. When the two bats were out of earshot they de-cloaked.

"Batman, do you think that the old man and Superman are alright?" Max asked from behind Terry. Her voice held a slight hint of worry as she spoke.

Terry turned around and placed a hand on her shoulder, "I don't think that Death harmed them, yet. Remember he is using them for bait. He probably intends to capture everyone and then dispose of them all in front of me. Then he'd kill me."

"But there is no way that will happen."

"Why, Batgirl I had no idea you had so much faith in me," Terry said with a smirk.

"I don't," the smirk left and a hurt look replaced it, "it'll never happen because if he lays another hand on you I'll start PMSing and he wont know what hit him." Max ended with a smirk of her own and moved past a stunned Terry and headed for their destination. Terry then followed, the smirk back in place.

They were headed for where they believed Bruce and Clark were being kept. Max had found Bruce's trace and discovered Death's hideout. Their plan was to free them first while Death was distracted with the JLU seeing as there was no way that Death would even consider taking his hostages with him. If he did then his hostages may be lost to him before he gets what he wants.

Then when those two were safe they would head back and give the JLU a hand. That is if JLU can keep Death there with their plan.

Back at the drop site the Flash, in costume, walked out into the open while faking a limp and trying to maintain some semblance of Batman. J'onn was fazed and hiding in some of the crates nearby, Hawk man was soaring high, and GL and Wonder Woman were standing in plain view.

"All right Death, we've done our part now where are the two hostages?" called GL.

"Very good," a voice called out from seemingly everywhere. "But, did you really think that that pathetic excuse for a substitute would fool me. Of course what did I expect from the Justice League?"

Just then a barrage of laser fire was directed at where GL and Wonder Woman were. Diana flew up and started to block and dodge the beams while GL created a protective bubble around him. Just as he did this, the red laser fire turned to yellow and started to pierce the lantern's shield.

"What the…?" the Green Lantern couldn't figure out how Death had found his ring's weakness. He then started to maneuver the laser fire but was clipped in the arm and leg.

Down below Jon had come out of his hiding place when the crates caught fire. He was starting to loose strength and stumbled backwards. The Flash went to speed over but as soon as he moved in super speed he tripped a motion device calibrated to detect high speeds. A barrage of rapidly pulsating light and sonic pulses bombarded the Flash's senses. He felt sharp pains start to come from his eyes and it felt like his head would explode. He shut his eyes but the light penetrated his eyelids and he couldn't keep his balance.

He fell forward and onto his side clutching his head in pain. Then darkness started to play at his vision and he sunk into soothing darkness. The sonic pulses then directed themselves at the now furious Hawk man flying toward the now fallen GL. He was caught off guard and as he was hit with them he screamed momentarily then fell from the sky unconscious.

Wonder Woman was still fighting with the laser cannons but was able to disable most of them. She hadn't been able to help Green Lantern but she had made headway. She also didn't notice that she was the last one standing until she finished off the last cannon. When she looked around all she saw were the unconscious forms of her colleagues.

Then she noticed something move in the shadows to her right. She turned towards it and saw a man in a cloak with a sickle and a skull mask. "So, you are the only one left standing? Such a pity that the others weren't as resilient, I would've loved to have more fun with them as I did with Batman. Although a little under trained he holds great potential for a warrior. I would have loved to make him my student but that is not what fate had in store. I have been paid to dispose of him and all of you as well."

Wonder Woman, listening to this was becoming more and more disgusted with Death. She chose that moment to lunge at Death. Instead of dodging though Death dropped back and let her fly over him, then kicked her with both feet and sent her into a wall. She stood back up fairly quickly and made for him again.

He moved forward slightly and raised his sickle. As she made another attack he activated the energy blade and swiped at her abdomen as he dodged the punches aimed at his head. He caught her off balance and the blade tore through her uniform and left a slight gash on her side. He then spun around changing his grip on the sickle and hit her in the back of the head with the butt of the staff. She fell forward unconscious.

Death stepped over her and sent a signal to his van hidden in the shadows so he could round up the JLU and await the real Batman's arrival. Just then something went flying by his head. He stopped and looked in the direction from whence it came and saw his prey.

Earlier at Death's stronghold

"Batman, I've found them," Max relayed over her COM link. In front of her were the two forms of Superman and Bruce Wayne inside of what appeared to be stasis pods. She tried searching for some sort of control panel when Terry came down from one of the upper levels of the building.

"Well, it looks like they're all right. I found Death's control center and he's not here. At least our hunch was correct about him leaving them here." Terry then put his hand on the glass of Bruce's pod. "Now, to get you two out of here."

"There don't seem to be any control panels for the chambers that I can see," stated Max as she finished checking out the areas around the pods. "I guess we'll just have to try the direct approach." Max then walked up to Superman's pod and extended her claws and took a swipe at the glass. Nothing but a small scratch was left behind from the claws.

"My turn," said Terry as he took out a batarrang and stuck it to Superman's pod. "Okay, back up a little bit," then he pressed a button on the explosive and stepped back himself.

Five seconds later the bat exploded and the glass was shattered. They both moved up and grabbed Superman and removed him from the pod and sent another explosive into the pod, which stopped the kryptonite light.

Soon the man of steel was revived enough to help get Bruce out of his pod by using his heat vision. Bat woman helped Superman out while Terry carried Bruce out of the building they were in. Terry then called the Batmobile and put Bruce and Superman inside. He then grabbed some extra weapons out of the plane and divided them up between Max and himself.

"Ready, I'm sure the others are in trouble by now?" Terry asked as he turned and started to walk off in the direction that the drop site was.

"Yeah, I'm ready. What about you? Are you sure that you will be able to handle a difficult fight?" Max looked at him with a worried gaze. Terry just sighed and shook his head.

"We've been over this already. I have to whether I'm up to par or not. Besides I really have a score to settle with this dreg. I'll worry about the consequences later." With that Terry put his hand on her shoulder and gave her his lopsided smile. "I also think it's only fair to let the dreg have a chance to fight back and not be totally humiliated, you'd pick him apart in three seconds with that temper of yours." With a smirk he rocketed off to avoid the slap that was to hit his shoulder.

Max just sighed and mumbled to herself as she flew after him, "how you ever managed to become Batman I'll never know."

As they reached the appointed area they saw that all but Wonder Woman had fallen and even she was just falling. As Death hit a controller Batman launched a batarang at Death's head, to which he ducked. As Batman and Batwoman landed Death turned towards them and grinned in expectation.

"I knew you'd come sooner or later," Death brought his sickle up and turned on the energy blade then directed his attention to Batwoman, "and I see that you have brought company. This will be entertaining."

"I assume that she is here to collect the pieces of your remains after you surrender to me?" Death questioned with a pointed stare.

"I don't think that I'll be surrendering today," Terry said coolly as he smirked at Death, "besides, I don't think you have any bargaining chips left." Terry stated as he saw Superman fly off with the last Justice League member.

Death's eyes flew wide open and whirled around to see the last traces of a red cape as Superman left the area. He then whipped back around and glared at Terry, "YOU! I will destroy you!" Death started to lunge but caught himself and calmed. He would not lose control of his emotions and control. This amateur would not outsmart him again.

Death took a step back and sized up the two bats in front of him. Batman looked calm and relaxed but his tight shoulders told that he still hurt from their first encounter but was repressing it. The second, Batwoman he supposed, was in a familiar martial arts crouch looking ready but her deepened breathing and slight glances to her partner suggested that she was nervous; whether from Death or for her companion's condition he couldn't tell. He could also tell that they were both very determined; this would be a most interesting battle indeed.

(A/N) I'm going to leave it here for now but I will have the next chapter up before my birthday on the 14th. I also think I will start to post some other stories soon. Please leave your impressions and comments in the reviews. Till next time!


	10. End Game

Chapter ten

(A/N) Sorry that I didn't keep my promise on when I would get the next chapter up but A few things came up. First off was that there was an annual meeting for my church, then there were a few meetings for different comities for my church and also there was like a major load of homework projects piled on me. Well now that I have been freed from some of that responsibility I am free to work on and hopefully soon finish this story.

Thanks for those reviewers and readers who have a problem with my spelling I will try to catch more of my mistakes.

Now on with the conclusion.

"How did you manage to find my base and free your friends?" Death was sizing Batman and Batwoman up for the coming fight.

"Oh, you know, just sent a feed back tracer through the signal that your torture device was sending you." Terry stepped forward a little as he tried to goad Death. He hadn't missed that slip of temper that Death displayed and he also noticed how fast he reigned it back in. _He must lose control of himself when he gets mad. Hmmm, I wonder how long the dreg can keep his cool?_ Terry was thinking of some good taunts that he could throw at Death to get him mad. Now that he knew of a possible weakness he would try to take advantage of it, but he knew it wouldn't be easy to do. Especially with all of the training that Death had probably put himself through. Now how to get the message to Max?

Just then Death moved his hand to reposition his glaive and to begin a run at the two costumed vigilantes. Just as death was about in weapons distance Batman and Batwoman both took to the air. Batman flew up and around and Batwoman flew off to the side and up. Death then, while turning around, pulled two throwing spikes from his belt and threw them at the two bats.

They just barely avoided the implements and flew to opposite sides of Death at about fifteen feet up in the air. They both nodded at each other and then flew strait at Death. Max veered off about three feet from Death's swinging glaive and a second later threw three battarangs at him. As Death was deflecting the projectiles Batman flew in a circle around Death to disorient him.

As Terry rounded to Death's front he grabbed hold of the glaive and ripped it from Death's grip. This caused a sharp pain to shoot up Terry's side because the maneuver pulled at his broken ribs and a grunt to escape his lips but did nothing to stop his flight.

Death cursed himself for being so careless as to let his main weapon to be snatched from his grasp but was not worried. In fact he was finding this turn of events to be quite intriguing. He hadn't been happy at how easily he had taken Batman out the first time they met and was hoping that that wasn't at the Batman's peak performance. Now it seemed that his first impression of the bat was being proved wrong. _He seems to have improved since the last time._ He turned and grinned at the regrouping bats.

Bruce was in the bat cave with some of the members of the Justice League who were just beginning to awaken as he saw Superman come flying with the last remaining member. Bruce then turned and started towards the bat computer and started to bring up the bat suit monitors. As he did so the Flash arose from his unconscious state.

"Oww, my aching head," said the Flash as he sat up and grabbed his head and started rubbing his temples. "Did we get him?"

"No, we didn't," stated Bruce from the computer.

J'onn, who had risen before Superman had left to fetch Diana, walked over to the computer beside Bruce. "How are they fairing?"

"From the looks of it they aren't in much trouble yet."

"How did they manage to get down to the surface," the Martian asked furrowing his brow in confusion, "there was no way for them to get here? The telaporters are non-operational and there were no other ships in the launch bay."

"They must have hitched a ride on your ship."

"That is not possible. I would have picked up on their thoughts."

"There is a device that I installed in the cowls of the suits that blocks telepaths. If they turned the devices on then you wouldn't have been able to detect them and with the cloaking abilities of the suits they'd be like phantoms on your ship."

"Whoa!" The Flash exclaimed as he watched the bat computer's screen. He had just seen the maneuver that Terry had pulled to get Death's weapon. "How did he do that?"

"By thinking on his feet," this was said by the approaching Superman, "right Bruce?"

"Yes, but that maneuver cost him." Bruce mentioned this at the sight of a spike in Terry's vital signs from the suit. "His ribs haven't fully healed yet and he won't be able to fight at his best."

The Flash just looked at Bruce as if he were crazy because he could see no difference in the movements. Superman and J'onn on the other hand knew that Bruce was correct, for they could see the difference in Terry. Although minimal it was only a matter of time before he would be slowed down too much and then he would be in trouble.

Back with the Bat duo, Terry had just taken the weapon in both hands and broke it in three pieces. Death snarled at him but looked over towards Max. Death noticed that she wasn't quite paying full attention to him but that she was keeping an eye on Batman. He decided that he should take her out first, or at the very least use her against Batman.

He turned fully towards Batman and made it look like he was only focused on him anticipating that Batwoman, inexperienced as she seemed, would try to come and attack him. He made for a lunge at Batman leaving himself open for attack. He knew the male bat would notice but hoped that the female would act before he could warn her.

It turned out he was correct in his assumptions. She came flying at him from his left with her jet boots firing while Batman was starting to yell at her to stop. It was to late though, for Death let one of his hidden weapons drop down from his sleeve and into his hand. He dodged the charge and rounded on Max and sliced a thin line down her back starting from her left shoulder and going down and across to her other side with his laser katana.

Max let out a sharp cry but veered off and away from Death before he could tag her again. She landed near a stone-faced Batman and held her shoulder. Terry never took his eyes off of Death but asked in a hushed voice if she was too badly injured.

"It just stings a little bit," Max said in a grunt, "but it's not deep." She sighed for a second then inhaled and stood up to face the smirking Death. "Sorry, it won't happen again."

"Good, we need to figure out how to get this guy to lose his temper." Terry stated to Max when he was sure she was ready to go on.

"Is the poor bat to crippled to come at me again?" Death jeered to the two.

"Not on your life, we're just coming up with a way to take that blade away from you too. Didn't your mother ever tell you not to play with knives?" Terry shot back the flippant remark.

Death just growled at the two for he was still irritated about being careless enough to let the first one to be taken. He charged at the two with great speed and slashed at where Batman had been. The two bats had just barely gotten out of the way of the blade. Max flew up high again and started to release a barrage of gas pellets. The tear gas covered the entire surrounding area in a thick layer. Max and Terry both turned their visors to infrared and started to throw batarangs at Death. Death slightly disoriented by the gas but none the worse for the ware thanks to his built in gas mask blocked almost all of the projectiles. Three made it passed his blade but only two hit their mark; one in the upper right arm and one on left thigh.

While Death was occupied with this Terry and Max made their way quickly and silently towards Death. When close enough Max let loose a bola that wrapped around Death's arms and Terry charged up on the right side. Just as Death brought his sword up and cut through the cord Terry came upon him and slugged Death with an upper cut. While dazed Terry grabbed the sword but Death recovered and tightened his grip while punching Batman in the ribs with his free hand. Terry doubled over from the excruciating pain and Death doubled up his fists and brought the butt of the sword down on Terry's slumped shoulders. Terry fell to the ground to one knee and braced himself for the next attack. Death did not disappoint him and kicked him with a low roundhouse kick to the head.

As Terry flew backwards he let out a cry of pain but as he landed he heard another cry of pain and was stunned to realize that it was Death crying out.

While Death was beating on Batman, Batwoman turned from her flight to go at Death. While he was preoccupied she pulled out one of the special weapons Bruce had made for her when Terry had been missing. She pulled a rod out of her belt and twisted it. It extended and produced razor batarang at each end. She then squeezed on the handle and electrified it. As she saw Terry go flying and cry out she let her anger soar and she swung the staff with all of her and the suit's strength.

She nailed him on the right side and an audible crack was heard and then Death screamed as the electricity coursed through him and caused him to fly across the ground and crash into a pile of crates. When she hit him he dropped his katana and she picked it up and crushed the handle in her hand until the weapon was a crumpled piece of slag.

Max then ran over to Terry to see how badly he was injured. She didn't think that he could take much more punishment like that.

BACK IN THE CAVE

"Terry!" Bruce called out when Batman was thrown across the ground. Bruce had switched to the observation systems on the Watchtower to better keep track of the fight. The visors in the bat suits were good if there was only one bat in the fight but it was easier to keep track of two if seen from a different perspective.

The others around Bruce also gasped as they saw Terry hit the dirt. But they were even more surprised a second later to hear a scream and saw Death go flying in the other direction. When they looked back to where Death had been they saw Batwoman with an electrified staff walking in the direction of Death's dropped weapon. As she crushed it and started to walk over to Batman the Flash exclaimed, "Remind me never to get on her bad side." A couple of the others in the cave nodded in agreement.

"Don't cheer just yet. Batwoman may have been able to get a shot in at Death but we don't know what the damage was and Batman has sustained severe injuries," Bruce said this as he went about checking what he could of the two bats' vitals. "I think one or more of you should go back to help them out."

The rest of the League just stared at the request, not for what it was but for whom it came from. Superman was the first one to regain his senses and said that he would go and help the two out. "I'll go, I don't think that he will be expecting any of us back there again and I was the only one he did not prepare for out by the loading zone." Superman then took off before any of the other members could raise an argument. As Superman sped across the sky he couldn't help but hope that the two fighting Death were not encountering any other trouble.

Death lay there in the broken crates berating his himself for letting his anger cloud his senses when Batman slugged him. He had let himself be distracted by the pleasure in pounding the life out of Batman. That was why he had not been prepared for the attack from Batwoman. Now he was lying there with a right arm with several breaks in it and probably many bruised and cracked ribs.

Death got up as best he could and cursed himself silently again as he saw Batwoman destroy another one of his weapons. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a few grenades and slowly moved behind some of the intact crates. When he was able to see the two bats clearly he armed and lobbed the handful of grenades at them. Batwoman was just reaching Batman who had rose to his hands and knees.

Just as the explosives were falling within sight Batman looked up and caught sight of them. He ignored the burning pain from his ribs and the dizziness in his head and lunged at Max. He covered her when he collided with her and grit his teeth in anticipation of the explosions.

Then the grenades hit the ground and several explosions resounded in the air that could be heard from blocks away. The two bats were thrown back with the force of the explosions as well as being seared with heat and peppered with shrapnel that tore through the suits and into them. Batman got the worst of it as he was covering Max. Even though, Max was still bleeding on her arms and legs.

Not far away now, Superman saw the flare of the explosion. He was horrified at what might have happened and flew the last leg of the flight in under a second. When he got there he saw Batman and Batwoman lying on the ground slightly coughing and trying to rise. He flew over to them and then scanned the area for Death.

When he spotted him behind some of the crates he shot his laser vision at Death's leg. He grazed the upper part of the leg and Death grunted in pain. Death came out from behind the crate wielding some more explosives and prepared to throw them but Superman was faster. In his rage Superman barely held back his full power from the punch he threw at Death's abdomen. Death went flying back and crashed with a thud on a metal crate. Superman then flew up to him while grabbing a metal pole on the way and stood above Death.  
"You will never harm another again," Superman all but yelled at Death. He then bent down and wrapped the pole around Death's wrists and arms and welded the seams. The then did the same with the legs, made sure that he was unconscious and dragged Death to where Batman and Batwoman were trying to recover.

Superman dropped Death in revulsion and went to help the two youth sit up. Max was in a sad state. She had cuts all over her from the grenades and a large scrape on her back from sliding across the ground. She didn't have any broken bones but she did have a couple bruised ribs, which he concluded from a thorough x-ray. He helped her up, "Don't worry yourself too much Death is no longer a threat."

"Oh, that really hurts," Max said as she touched her ribs, "That bastard better go away for a long time for this. Hey Batman, are you okay? Batman?" Max called to Terry as she looked over to him.

Superman also looked over to him when he didn't answer. Batman was face down and bleeding a fair amount. He had large gashes in his back along with a few shards of wood. Superman checked for broken bones and was relieved to find that only the ribs had taken anymore damage. Superman then went to kneel by Terry and rolled him over while calling him again.

When he was on his back he coughed a second and then said in a hoarse voice, "Man, I was comfortable on my stomach. Five more minutes mom and then I'll get up." He chuckled a little but then stopped with a grunt.

"Batman you nearly gave me a heart attack!" Max yelled as she crawled over to the two men. "Don't you dare not answer me again." Then she smiled, bent down and kissed him.

When they came up for air Terry said, "Damn, but I've got to do this more often if that's the reward I get." Terry smiled real big for effect, then he ruined the moment by coughing again.

"We need to get you two and Death out of here so…" the words died on his lips as Superman tuned to look at Death and saw that he was gone. "He's loose!" Superman then scanned the area for any sign of Death but none was to be found. "And he's gone!" Superman bellowed.

"Don't worry, he'll show up again soon enough. Right now we need to get Batman some medical attention." Max had gotten up and was standing behind Superman.

"You too," Superman said. He then turned to go and collect Terry. As soon as he had Terry in hand the batmobile showed up. Superman thought of Bruce being with the rest of the League by himself and smirked. Then he turned to address Max. "You go in the car and I'll take Batman. I'll meet you at the cave." Superman waited for Max to enter the car before taking off for the cave himself.

_At least it's over for now. Hopefully that lunatic will stay away long enough for you two to heal. What am I thinking, I hope he doesn't come back at all for yours and Max's sakes._ Superman then concentrated on getting back to the cave while taking quick glances at Terry to make sure he was all right.

Elsewhere an hour or so later Death could be seen making his way through a deserted warehouse towards an office. He was meeting with Mr. Powers.

As he entered and shut the door he heard a sliding noise and realized that a metal door had just slid into place behind the door. He was being trapped and he didn't like that. He turned to the desk behind which sat Mr. Powers. "What are you doing?" demanded Death.

"I hear that you did not complete your mission. In fact I hear that you failed in every aspect of the job." Powers was speaking in a smooth chill voice that carried a lethal quality to it. "Is this true?"

"It is," Death replied with disdain. He was not at all happy about the turn of events but could now see why his apprentice Curare had failed, twice, against her foe.

"That does not make me happy. This was also the last chance I gave you. I do not tolerate failures!" Powers was becoming increasingly angrier and his skin was starting to peel and fall off. Death stared at Powers and then took out his last laser katana, which he had used to escape only an hour ago.

"You think that that is going to kill me? You make me laugh." Powers said maniachly while starting to laugh. He tore off the last of his skin and charged up his hands. "You will never fail Blight again!" Then he lunges at Death.

All that is visible from outside the warehouse are slivers of green light. Those are accompanied by horrible screams from inside it. Soon they stop and the light fades.

Back inside the office only Blight is visible with his eerie glow while he wipes the blood from his cheek "One day you will die Batman, by my hand, for in our business death stalks us all." Blight chuckles deeply as he looks down at the charred and blackened remains of the assassin.

A/N- All done! Except maybe an epilogue if I have time with Exams. But I hope you all liked it! Tell me what you thought!


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